Harvests of Hope

In the dry and parched lands of Laisamis in Marsabit County, Kenya, life appeared to depict sorrow and hopelessness. People were living one day at a time, reeling from drought and flash floods, confronting cattle rustling and banditry, facing poverty and early marriages, and struggling with illiteracy and political exclusion. For many years, residents of Korr/Ngurunit in Laisamis hung on thin lines of hope for a better tomorrow. 

“We had despaired and lost hope when drought wiped out our livestock. Men and boys migrated and stayed for many months, with reports of livestock deaths. Amidst the fear of cattle rustling, we constantly lived in fear of losing our men,” said program participant Ntaato Lepurote. “Our boys left school to accompany men in search of pasture and water. Indeed all hope was lost.”

Shortly after, however, the community was reminded that hope is never truly lost. “God remembered us when CWS came with food from Canada and for a whole year, we ate good food, a lot of food. Our hope was revived. When we thought it was over, they came to look for us again, to teach us how to produce the food,” she said with excitement.

Ntaato is a member of the Naliapo Self-Help Group and is among the 330 participants of the early recovery program supported by Church World Service. Through training and input development, she was able to establish a vegetable garden as well as set up a small plot for the production of green grams and cowpeas. “I had never imagined in my life that I could grow food by myself!” she exclaimed, adding, “I don’t have to wait for relief food anymore.” 

 The harvest of green grams and cow peas from the small farms is a harvest of hope for many people in the Ngurunit location. The community never imagined that the solution to their greatest problem was right below their feet. 

This harvest of hope highlights the importance of investing in people and their potential to drive sustainable change. Through continued collaboration and dedication, we can pave the way for a brighter future for all, where communities thrive and individuals can realize their full potential.

We would like to thank our partners, Canadian Foodgrains Bank and the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, as well as Global Affairs Canada for allowing this assistance to be possible. To learn more about this emergency response, click here. You can learn about our programs in Africa here.