Food for thought A Christian Aid assembly for 11- to 14-year olds

the longest time you’ve gone without food? What is: your favourite meal? the longest time you’ve gone without food? Image: Wikimedia Commons

In Toricha, Kenya, this shepherd lost all his livestock during the recent drought A shepherd with no livestock, Toricha, Kenya, near the Ethiopian border. All his livestock have died during the drought Christian Aid/Branwen Niclas

Elema Erero, Kenya Mother of six Most of her cattle have died Elema Erero, from Diid Abndhi, is a 52-year-old widow with six children. She used to own 20 cattle but 18 of her cows have died during the drought. The remaining cows are very weak and cannot walk far. Her donkey has also died because of the drought. Because the animals have died, now she has to carry 20 litres of water in a jerry can on her back every day. She sells charcoal to try to earn money to buy food for her children and send them to school. If the drought continues, she will have to take the children out of school because she won’t be able to afford the fees. Christian Aid/Branwen Niclas

Gumato Gollo Shama, Kenya Christian Aid/Branwen Niclas Gumato Gollo Shama, from Toricha village, Kenya, with one-month-old daughter Midina Gollo Shama. She also has a three year old. The father has seen the baby once, but he is 100km away with their remaining livestock. She relies soley on [irregular] food aid provided by the government and water from Christian Aid partner CCSMKE. She has only corn left for the family. She boils the corn for lunch and it will be her and her children’s only food for the day. Mother of two Relies on food aid for her one meal a day

Evelin with her doctor, Guatemala Evelyn is severely malnourished She has a lung infection Christian Aid/Hannah Richards

Evelin (right) and her friend Isabel are being treated for malnutrition by Christian partner Bethania Christian Aid/Hannah Richards

Kenya, east Africa http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LocationKenya.svg Image: Wimkimedia Commons

Children in Diid Abdhi, Kenya, collect emergency water supplies Children and young people in Diid Abdhi collecting water from the water tanker provided by Christian Aid partner CCSMKE. Christian Aid/Branwen Niclas

Christian Aid partner CCSMKE is working with farmers in Kenya to plant crops that can survive drought Christian Aid/Antoinette Powell

Guatemala, Central America http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LocationGuatemala.svg Image: Wikimedia Commons,

Jacqueline, 12, is from Guatemala Jacqueline, 12, is from Guatemala. Christian Aid partner Bethania has helped her family set up a kitchen garden Christian Aid/Hannah Richards

Jacqueline and her mother with the plants they are growing in their garden Christian Aid / Hannah Richards