Children search for water in drought-hit southern Angola
By Rev. Salomão Tchoya
The problem of prolonged drought here in Oxavikwa, Kuroca municipality, started in 2011 after heavy rains of 2010, which caused heavy flood losses to our field crops.
We thought the rainfall would be normal in the following farming season, but we ended up with another disaster: the prolonged drought. The drought has caused serious food insecurity in the region including the neighbouring municipalities and the bordering Republic of Namibia. We are all affected.
We have lost almost all our animals which we needed to plough the fields due to lack of pasture and water. I had 79 cattle, now I have only 12. I have also lost the three pairs of oxen which assisted me to plough my fields. Many families in all drought affected areas have experienced loss of animals.
17 families, including some of our church members, migrated to the Republic of Namibia to join their families and others to urban cities in search of livelihood.
Since 2012, we had continued cases of cholera outbreaks in our community and also in other areas of the municipality causing deaths. If the irregularities of rainfall continue, many people will die of hunger and drinking of impure water. For this reason, many people will leave their homes and migrate to other places.
We have received food supplies (maize meal, beans, cooking oil and salt) from the ACT Forum through LWF Angola. The food was given, with the involvement of traditional and church leaders, to vulnerable groups: the aged, orphans, disabled, women-headed families.
The most important thing is: I am appealing to our brothers and sister of the Christian communities to join us in prayers so that this year rain will continue to bring to us the water of life.
Rev. Salomão Tchoya is pastor of the Lutheran church in Oxavikwa in Angola’s Cunene Province.
