February 7, 2008 | Read Time: 4 minutes
Many charities are rushing relief supplies to people who have been affected by the violence in Kenya touched off by a controversial presidential election in December. But despite the growing humanitarian needs, few organizations have issued direct-marketing appeals, and contributions to the crisis have been relatively slow to materialize.
Aid groups are also grappling with how the violence could affect their development work over the longer term.
Kenya has long been one of Africa’s most stable and prosperous countries, and many organizations are concerned that the economic devastation and ethnic rifts resulting from the violence could take many months, even years, to repair.
“This is going to make our jobs much more difficult, much more complicated,” said Ken MacLean, Kenya country representative for Catholic Relief Services. “It will take time to heal the divisions created between people, and to repair investor confidence.”
Violence Persists
Among the charities that have seen some response from donors so far are International Medical Corps, which has raised $2.6-million, and Catholic Relief Services, which received $450,000. Save the Children has received donations of $100,000.
Others have raised smaller sums. Direct Relief International has brought in $30,000, while Lutheran World Relief has received just $2,000. CARE has not raised any money yet from U.S. donors, although it estimates that $250,000 will be required to meet immediate needs. The charity hopes to raise $5-million to meet Kenya’s long-term needs.
Some charities said they were not yet focusing on fund raising because the violence has prevented their workers from visiting areas where people have sought shelter and from determining the extent of suffering.
“We’re really not going full-force,” said Caroline Loftus, Save the Children’s acting vice president of children in emergencies and crisis. “We want to make sure the resources we raise can be programmed effectively by our team.”
Many charity workers also sounded a familiar theme: namely, how much more difficult it is to raise money for victims of war than for those affected by hurricanes, fires, and other natural disasters.
“It’s very reminiscent of a few years ago, when Israel and Lebanon were having a conflict,” said Brett Williams, emergency-response coordinator at Direct Relief International. “People are nervous to get involved in these situations. There’s a fear that they’ll be seen as taking a side.”
Many Refugees
Approximately 850 people have been killed in the violence that erupted on December 30, when President Mwai Kibaki was announced the winner in an election over the opposition leader Raila Odinga, despite evidence of vote tampering. More than 250,000 people, including many women and children, have fled their homes and taken refuge in churches, police stations, or temporary shelters.
Reports of rape and sexual abuse have increased drastically. Many tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS patients have fallen off their drug regimen because they can’t get access to medications. The rainy season has just begun, elevating the risk of malaria and other diseases.
Some Kenyan charity workers have been affected by the fighting. The office of Direct Relief International’s regional medical adviser was burned down. Gangs tried to set fire to the office of Carolina for Kibera, a nonprofit group based in Kenya that provides medical care, sports programs, and other services, but local people drove them away, said Emily Reynolds Pierce, the charity’s vice president.
Aid officials said they must be mindful of how ethnic tensions could affect the work they do. Kenyan staff members from one tribe might be at greater risk in areas worst hit by ethnic violence, such as the Rift Valley, than those from another tribe.
“If you have a convoy going to the Rift Valley, you have to be careful of who is in the car,” said Beatrice M. Spadacini, communications and media manager at CARE’s operations in East and Central Africa. “There is a lot of fear for our national staff.”
Mr. MacLean said that the ethnic violence has fueled tensions between members of his own staff. His office is now holding weekly meetings to discuss reconciliation.
Charities are also assisting in reconciliation efforts on a wider scale. Catholic Relief Services is supporting the peace efforts of the Kenya Episcopal Conference by paying for meetings to foster interfaith dialogue.
Ms. Pierce said that the young employees of Carolina for Kibera, which first began as a soccer program designed to foster cooperation among youths from different tribes, were working alongside one another to determine how the charity could best help victims.
“It was really disheartening for the Kenyans who started this organization to see seven years of incredible hard work and sacrifice unravel at the hands of a couple of feuding politicians,” she said. “But on the other hand, the youth who are employed by CFK have really come together to confront this crisis.”
