Students at Nairobi Language Institute in Nairobi, Kenya eating a meal provided by the school.
/ Raffia Smith
Millions in the Horn of Africa are suffering from a famine because of a widespread drought coupled with obstacles for aid to reach victims. Volunteers around the world are taking part in the relief efforts including Raffia Elizabeth Smith who recently returned from Kenya.
Smith is a former principal who has gone on more than 20 mission trips in her life. She's helped create schools in Bulgaria and Romania and most recently helped hungry children in Nairobi.
"Hundreds of thousands of people are dying daily because of the drought. Somalia is even worse and people are emigrating into Nairobi so that just makes that even more difficult and more challenging," says Smith.
She went with the group Feed the Hunger to supply food to more than 350 students attending Nairobi Language Institute.
"Fulfilling, but very sad to see those little children with their little cups getting the food that's cooked for them knowing that that's the only meal that they have a day. And very often they will sneak a little bit in their pocket or take a little bit in their bowls for other siblings at home who do not have food," explains Smith.
The packets of food only cost $.26 a piece and are cooked at the school. Smith says the nutritious meals help keep the children healthy.
Smith's granddaughter, who is a nursing student at Liberty University, also accompanied her on the trip. "There's nothing like a young person going on a mission trip. It really changes their prospective of what they have and what many in the rest of the world do not have."
Smith also visited slums and a nearby tribe. Her group brought members of the tribe clean water since they'd normally have to walk 20 miles one way to get.
"They were thrilled when we brought water and they brought their little containers of just dirty plastic, whatever they could have found them and filled those little containers," says Smith. "Just really really sad to see those super thin children who probably did not receive much food."
Smith adds the thought of so many children needing help is overwhelming but focuses on helping those that she can. "So you know you look at it in one way and you think there's no way I can do anything to affect all these children but then you look at another and what you give to God and what you give to them multiplies and then you do save some lives of children."
As to why she goes to other countries to help the less fortunate Smith says, "I know we have hunger in America. I know we have a high jobless rate but in those countries they don't have an opportunity for a job. Eighty percent unemployment in a slum area. There just isn't that opportunity there and now especially with the drought so that's why my heart reaches out to people like that because they are without hope unless somebody comes along and helps."
Smith is working with Rotary International to get the school she visited a matching grant so they'll have clean water and bathrooms.
