Suffering at Nyanza camps for displaced

The following article writes about where most of the displaced people are camping now. The Odhiambo Mbai Centre hopes to visit some of these places in the hope of giving aid to these people.

Suffering at Nyanza camps for displaced (Click here to read original article.)

Published on February 11, 2008, 12:00 am
By Harold Ayodo

Life is tough for displaced people in makeshift camps in Nyanza Province.

Congestion, fear of disease outbreak and hunger are some of the hardships the more than 2,000 displaced people in Kisumu and Siaya face.

At St Stephen’s Cathedral in Kisumu, more than 1,000 people use two toilets.

Parents are living in fear after Mr Elijah Odero lost his daughter, four, at the camp.

"I narrowly escaped death with my family at Kabati estate in Naivasha only to lose Lillian Awuor near my ancestral home," says Odero.

Increasing cases of diarrhoea among children aged below five and respiratory infections are worrying health workers.

The story is the same at St Peter’s Anglican Church in Siaya and Ebenezer Child Care Centre in Nyando District.

The Rev Kenneth Wachianga of Anglican Church and Bishop Isaac Obure of Future Life Church have raised concerns over the health of displaced people camping in Siaya.

Read more here......

THE ODHIAMBO MBAI CENTRE WISHES TO EXTEND OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE!!

UPDATES!

We would like to thank all our supporters, well wishers and friends who have responded to our appeal in helping us mitigate our current humanitarian crisis. It has roughly been a month since we put out our call for help. Our crisis is far from over, but with the donations we have received so far, we have managed to save a few lives and in store some hope to those families who have lost almost everything as a result of the post-election violence. We hope our current updates will inspire more people to continue to support our efforts.

FOOD RELIEF PROGRAMME

Some of the displaced children and their mothers at the Church.

Displaced children having a meal.

Mrs Odhiambo-Mbai and volunteer having a word with displaced people as they have a meal.

The Odhiambo Mbai Centre food relief team consulting over food donations.

Catholic priest receiving contribution to assist in transporting the displaced persons willing to travel back to their rural homes.

OUR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME FOR POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE CASUALTIES

15 year old Standard 8 Elizabeth Achieng Ochieng whose spleen and diaphragm were shattered by a bullet through her breast lies on her hospital bed. Achieng looks at Drugs donated towards her treatment by The Odhiambo Mbai centre and friends.

Centre visiting with 50 year old Mzee Samwel Oketch who has a bullet still lodged on his spinal cord. Through The Odhiambo Mbai centre, the patient was taken for specialized citiscan in Kisii, 50Kilometrsaway. According to the Hospital’s Senior Surgeon Dr. Ojuang Lusi, the condition of the patient is critical. Mr oketch ended up requiring more support than the Centre could manage (about 1500USD worth) but the Centre alerted the press on the situaion and it is currently recieving national attention

Mrs Mbai donating medical supplies and money to assist the patients at the homa bay district hospital, to the doctor and sister in charge.