Prayer for the East Africa Food Crisis For Primary Schools

Teacher Background information: 23 million men, women and children in East Africa and Yemen are experiencing severe food crisis. Millions of people in South Sudan, Kenya, Malawi, Somalia, Ethiopia, Yemen and Nigeria are affected. Though South Sudan has been officially declared famine free by the United Nations (as of June 21), the situation facing the country and the other parts of East Africa, is critical. Almost 2 million people are on the brink of starvation and an estimated 6 million people face extreme food insecurity. Women and children are most at risk, where 1 million children are acutely malnourished and 270 000 children are at imminent risk of death. Somalia is on the brink of famine, with 6.7 million people requiring immediate humanitarian assistance. This was the first official famine to be declared since 2011 in Somalia where more than a quarter of a million people died. This is the biggest humanitarian crisis currently facing Africa and may be the worst famine globally since the Ethiopian famine of 1984. Climate change, conflict and inflation have all increased the severity of the crisis. The global Caritas network is providing emergency assistance to people in affected countries. Caritas Australia's partner agencies in South Sudan, Kenya and Malawi are delivering emergency relief in the form of water and food items such as beans, sugar, salt, oil and maize flour, and sanitation and emergency supplies. We will continue to monitor the situation. We stand with our brothers and sisters in Africa and offer a special prayer of peace and mercy for its people. Please take your time to reflect and dwell on the images. Further information about each photo is provided in the notes section, and there will also be an information resource available for download on the website. See http://www.caritas.org.au/learn/emergency-response/africa-aid-appeal/ for more information. Donations can be made to the ‘Africa emergency appeal’.

God of love, we pray for our brothers and sisters in Africa today God of love, we pray for our brothers and sisters in Africa today. Many people do not have enough food and water to live a healthy life. Photo information: Many people have been displaced by the conflict in South Sudan. They have come to village like Lakakudu in Adior County where some 11,000 displaced people are living with host families. Photo credit: Trocaire (Caritas Ireland)

Please help the people in South Sudan, Kenya, Malawi, Somalia, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Yemen have enough water to drink and food to eat. Lord hear us. All: Lord hear our prayer. Photo information: A girl in BidiBidi refugee camp prepares cow-pea leaves grown by a Caritas program participant. Photo credit: Trocaire (Caritas Ireland)

Photo information: Children carry water through Bidi Bidi camp in the evening. Photo credit: Tommy Trenchard Caritas Internationalis Network It has been hard to grow crops. The earth is getting hotter and there isn’t enough rain. Fighting has also made it dangerous for farmers to work.

Help us all take better care of the earth Help us all take better care of the earth. Bless the farmers in East Africa and Yemen who are trying to grow food. Lord hear us. All: Lord hear our prayer. Photo information: A young cow-pea sprout is seen in the vegetable patch of a South Sudanese refugee who received seeds, tools and training from Caritas. Photo credit:Trocaire (Caritas Ireland)

Many people have had to leave their homes and go to another town or country because of fighting. Photo information: A view of Bidi Bidi refugee camp in northern Uganda. Photo by Tommy Trenchard for Caritas Photo credit: Trocaire (Caritas Ireland)

All: Lord hear our prayer. Photo information: Women and children uprooted by the drought in Somalia built makeshift houses on the outskirts of Baidoa and will receive aid from Caritas Internatioanalis partners. Help leaders of nations and groups stop the fighting so that families can live peacefully. Lord hear us. All: Lord hear our prayer. Photo credit: Catholic Relief Services

We are thankful for what we have in Australia We are thankful for what we have in Australia. Help us be generous so that we can help our brothers and sisters as much as we can. Lord hear us. All: Lord hear our prayer. Photo information: A woman cooks the evening meal in Bidi Bidi refugee camp in northern Uganda. Photo credit: Trocaire (Caritas Ireland)

Agencies like Caritas are providing emergency supplies of food, water, medicine and shelter. Help them continue to be a source of hope and survival.   Photo information: Okra seeds donated by Caritas lie in the tent of a south Sudanese refugee in Bidi Bidi camp, Uganda. Photo credit: Tommy Trenchard Caritas Internationalis Network

Photo information: South Sudan families in Bidi Bidi refugee camp in Uganda. Photo credit: Trocaire (Caritas Ireland) We pray that the children can have enough food and go back to school to study, play and live a normal life again.

Photo information: In September 2016 Viola, pictured here with her son, fled her home in Lanya village, South Sudan because of the fighting in her village. In October, Viola received seeds and tools from Caritas, and is now cultivating vegetables to supplement the refugees’ daily diet of maize and beans. We pray to Jesus Christ our redeemer. Lord hear us. All: Lord hear our prayer. Photo credit: Trocaire (Caritas Ireland)

YOU CAN DONATE ONLINE TO THE ‘AFRICA EMERGENCY APPEAL’. Last updated March 2017