Climbing Kilimanjaro for Haller

In February The Kenyan Government declared a national emergency in response to the drought affecting half the counties across Kenya. It is estimated by the Red Cross that 12.8 million people across the Horn of Africa will need help to survive the drought. The number of people affected by the lack of food security in Kenya alone was predicted to rise to 4 million by July 2017. Approximately 357, 285 children and pregnant and mothers are acutely malnourished which makes them more susceptible to illness such as diarrhoeal diseases, the second leading cause of death in children under five years old. The Horn of Africa is experiencing one of the worst famines in modern times. The drought which is prevalent across this area has been caused by the failure of three rains in a row. In some counties of Kenya, Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) is at 30% and approximately 10 counties are deemed to be in ‘crisis’.

The Haller team are tackling the huge undertaking of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro on the 9th September 2017 with a goal of raising £45,000. These funds will go directly to helping build resilience in communities affected by droughts, by constructing wells so they are able to cope if similar environmental shocks occur again. Having access to water means children can go to school instead of making a daily journey to collect water. With water for farming families can grow enough to feed themselves and can sell any surplus improving their livelihoods. By completing this climb the Haller team hopes to increase awareness of the impact of droughts on these communities, and raise as much as possible.