The 2007 floods in Teso continue to have a serious impact.

The Uganda Government Minister for Relief and Development, Musa Ecweru, (also a Teso MP) has said that “prolonged dry conditions after flooding in the region has led to a 90% crop failure. Plants had failed to germinate under very hot conditions. Cassava has been destroyed in Teso and up to 1 million are in danger of starvation in Karamoja, Teso and some parts of Lango Districts. In some areas, food is being rationed and women and children are the victims. There is a high incidence of malnutrition amongst children”.

This is supported by the United Nations relief organisation OCHA who are coordinating a response. The UN will, however, be looking for other support because its international priorities are in Sudan and Georgia.

Our partners in Teso have told us about the growing crisis and their wish to respond. Sam Okiror, the Development Director of the Church of Uganda, says that a detailed and urgent assessment is underway. ”The assessment for Soroti is that 51% of households (36,000 households – about 200,000 people) are seriously affected by the drought and that crop failure of groundnuts, sorghum and cassava is between 70% and 90%. The situation is worse in Amuria, Katakwi and Kaberamaido. The past shocks to the population from last year’s flooding and the LRA attack means that the population is very vulnerable and have few reserves to cope. Please help us.”

Detailed surveys of need by the Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG) in Ongino and Malera, north east of Kumi, indicate that a majority of the population are living on one meal a day based on foraging for whatever they can find, and that crop failure has been considerable. Following food aid provided by TDT in 3 camps in Katakwi in June for 1,745 people, there is an urgent need for more food aid there.

TDT wishes to respond to this crisis. The aid provided in 2007 and early 2008 to help people  through the flood crisis gave vital help to 16,000 people. We provided food relief, mosquito nets, tools and seed to thousands of households but we urgently need to help again. Our Church partners are ready to help the communities and camps they know well through the network of congregations, pastors and clergy - and the people look to the Church for help in their extreme need.

Can you help with as much as you can? As you know, the money will go to the Church development teams in Teso and be spent on aid that will go directly to the people to put food on the table and aid them to avoid famine in the future. A package of food aid and seed to help one household costs £8 and we want to help 4,500 households.

Please respond via our secure online giving page here at justgiving.com

Or please send your donation to: Teso Development Trust, 24 Sandhurst Avenue, Stourbridge, West Midlands DY9 0XL (cheques payable to Teso Development Trust and marked 'Famine Relief' on the reverse).

Thank you so much