Kenyan unrest: Christian Aid partners ready to respond

Christian Aid staff and partner organisations are stepping up relief efforts to respond to the growing humanitarian crisis in Kenya following recent unrest there.

Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands displaced in the worst violence Kenya has seen in a generation following last month's disputed election.

Christian Aid partner organisation, the Anglican Church of Kenya and its development branch, the Inter-Diocesan Christian Community Services (IDCCS), are providing relief to families in Kisumu town and the surrounding region in Nyanza province.

Nyanza, in the west of Kenya, is one of the areas worst affected by the violence.

IDCCS is distributing a one month supply of maize, beans and sugar to 900 very vulnerable households. It is also focusing on households with children under five, distributing mosquito nets and cooking utensils to 400 households and soap to 800 households.

Judith Melby, Christian Aid's Africa specialist, said: "Many thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes with absolutely nothing. We are providing the basics to help rebuild their lives. But we are also focusing on longer term recovery.

"The real challenge in Kenya is rebuilding peoples' lives and their trust in each other. This will require a sustained, committed effort by our partner organisations."