news & events
Forgotten Emergencies: Tanzania
Drought in the Ngoronogoro district of Tanzania has caused food prices to rise, leaving many families struggling to survive.
Little has been publicised about the recurring drought in the Ngoronogoro district of Tanzania. However, it is having a devastating impact on the Maasai community living there. In the Soit-Sambu area, a lack of rain has caused food production to decrease by almost a third. This has pushed food prices up, meaning that hundreds of the most vulnerable families are now struggling to survive.
MRDF is working though its local partner to provide food to those who need it most. Mr Ndoinyo, CEO of the project, is working with his team who draw on an in-depth knowledge of the local area to ensure that food is delivered quickly and fairly. He says: ‘The local communities are in a situation of total despair and in urgent need of food relief. The project (is) a coordinated effort to provide sustainable humanitarian relief to the victims. Our staff are experienced in the area of community outreach; they know the people and have the support of the village councils.'
As well as providing immediate aid, MRDF's partner is working to provide sustainable solutions to poverty in the Ngorongoro area. Traditionally Maasai people live a nomadic life-style, moving their cattle from place to place. However, land restrictions are gradually eroding this way of life, making it difficult to survive. The MRDF project allows Maasai people to access adult education and micro-finance initiatives, enabling them to find alternative forms of income such as running their own profitable small businesses.
If you would like to support Maasai people in Tanzania, visit MRDF's Extraordinary Gift catalogue, where you can provide a Maasai community with an adult education tutor.