Thanks for your response to our initiative and for your very thoughtful questions. Sorry also for the delay in responding to your questions. The project is still on and we hope to have new updates soon. For the moment, I’m posting the responses to some of your questions below. Hope this will give you some reassurance and look forward to your support as we continue to work on getting the program out to those who need it most.

Best regards from the Prep-Aid Team

1. Can I use my credit card to contribute?

As we are not a registered NGO we are seeking partnership with an already existing NGO to act as a banking partner for this project. We have sent out requests to a number of reputable organizations in Kenya and abroad, and have so far received positive feedback. We will let you know as soon as this comes through.
We are currently also working on methods of payment via mobile telephony, and hope this will come through within the next few days as well.

2. Who are you?

We are a group of concerned Kenyans:

Su Kahumbu Stephanou-Prep-Aid Co-ordinator
Managing Director of Green Dreams Ltd, an organic business producing and marketing organic produce in Kenya via The Organic Shop, Gigiri and Organic Shop Nakumatt Westgate; founder of The Tsunami Relief Fund 2004, which raised over Ksh 700,000 for victims of the Tsunami; organiser of Band Aid 2005, which raised funds for the Tsunami Relief Fund; song writer for Light-A-Candle, which was donated and recorded using 60 Kenyan artists’ proceeds towards Famine Relief Kenya 2006; Kenyan partner, East African Food Network, an organisation helping East African small-scale farmers achieve their export market potential; company website at http://www.organic.co.ke.

Shan Bartley- PR
Partner in the Tsunami Relief Fund 2004, which raised over Ksh 700,000 for victims of the Tsunami; organiser of Band Aid 2005, which raised funds for the Tsunami Relief Fund; Malaika Project; Jaza Lorry; radio personality and writer.

Job Ballard- IT
Graphic artist with East Africa Wildlife Society; volunteer IT professional for Prep-Aid; websites at http://www.smartkenyan.com, http://www.jobballard.net; art work for Tsunami Relief Fund, Band Aid and Light-A-Candle.

Wakio Seaforth – Proposals, M&E, Research
Lawyer and independent consultant based in Nairobi.

Dominic Wanjihia –Logistics Co-ordinator
Freelance logistics consultant, mainly involved in community based projects in rural environments.

3. Are you affiliated with Red Cross, or you are hoping you will
be, within 10 days?

Our discussions with Mr Abbas Gullet, Secretary General of the Kenya Red Cross Society at their Nairobi headquarters on Feb 8th 2008, resulted in a joint agreement that the Red Cross will distribute the seed for free to the IDPs in their camps, and may also help with volunteers to assist with packing of seeds.

4. Who is this Registrant by the name Job with Ballard Designs business that registered the “Prep-aid.org” domain name just last week, and uses his contact @gmail.com?

Ref: Job Ballard – IT (above). Job assisted us to register our email domain and is currently working on the Prep-Aid website.

5.Don’t you think contributing through the Red Cross web-site and ear-marking the contributions for the purpose you are proposing, while your organisation concentrates on other areas, may be a good idea, since the Red Cross already has a well established secure internet infrastructure designed to handle sensitive personal data? Again, we are talking of the urgency and critical need within a few days as you clearly elaborated!

Yes, you are absolutely right and this is what we hope to do, discussions on the financial logistics are underway.

I have some questions answered before I can contribute financially.

1. Can I use my credit card to contribute?

2. Who are you?

3. Are you affiliated with Red Cross, or you are hoping you will be, within 10 days?

4. Who is this Registrant by the name Job with Ballard Designs bussiness that registered the “Prep-aid.org” domain name just last week, and uses his contact @gmail.com?

5.Don’t you think contributing through the Red Cross web-site and ear-marking the contributions for the purpose you are proposing, while your organisation consetrates on other areas, may be a good idea, since the Red Cross already has a well established secure internet infrastructure designed to handle sensitive personal data? Again, we are talking of the urgency and critical need within a few days as you clearly elaboreted!

Thanks.

Whilst recognising the controversies surrounding the Red Cross we also recognise that they have the admin and logistics to enable quick distribution of seeds. We are however also looking for other means of distribution to folk who may be IDP’s in areas other than Red Cross camps and would appreciate advise and contacts of others with reliable and efficient distribution networks that we could use . What we would like in return is for the organisation to do the admin required that will show proof of the distribution. Once a pilot of this project is successful, we hope to scale this project for maximum impact.

Regards

Su
info@Prep-Aid.org

Where focus is currently on immidiate solutions to peace and security in Kenya, another disaster will unfold unless w e act now. Below is info on a new innovative idea that will result in at least helping to avert the looming famine if it can get off the ground before the March rains start. We would really appreciate it if you can get the word out to as many concerned Kenyans as possible. If you are interested, we will keep you posted on the project as it unfolds.

PREP-AID is a newly formed not-for-profit organization focusing on
disaster preparedness and emergency response. We strive for innovative,
aggressive, efficient and effective solutions to disaster preparedness and
emergency response, maximizing the use of resources on projects with the
greatest impact. The Famine Relief Seed Distribution Project reflects
PREP-AID’s desire to provide an immediate response to a current crisis,
while also providing a cost-effective and self-sustaining solution that
will create opportunities for the project beneficiaries beyond the
project’s expiry.

Statement of Need: Following the disputed presidential elections in
December 2007, Kenya has experienced unprecedented violent clashes among
supporters of opposing political camps, which has resulted in large
numbers of persons being displaced from their homes and farms in various
parts of the country. Large-scale displacement of people from some of
Kenya’s most productive agricultural land, particularly in the Rift Valley
and Western provinces, has adversely affected Kenya’s agricultural sector,
with potentially long-term implications. Recent reports have warned of
looming famine and food shortages if the current situation is not
normalized soon.

The Famine Relief Seed Distribution Project will target the estimated
250,000 – 300,000 displaced persons around the country, who are currently
housed in camps managed by the Kenya Red Cross Society. Plans are
currently underway to resettle displaced persons and provide food
assistance. The bulk of this food assistance will consist of grains and
non-perishable food items, which can be transported and stored over longer
periods of time. PREP-AID’s Famine Relief Seed Distribution Project will
complement existing food assistance efforts by focusing on perishable food
items (specifically fresh vegetables), and will provide additional
benefits by taking advantage of the planting season, encouraging farmers
to begin producing food, and providing nutritious supplements over the
coming months. With the onset of the long rainy season in March, urgent
action is needed to ensure that resettled farmers will have access to seed
to begin planting as soon as possible.

Methodology: The Famine Relief Seed Distribution Project will distribute
100,000 individual sachets consisting of a mixed variety of fast-growing,
short-maturing, hardy vegetable seeds designed to produce fresh food that
will be sufficient to sustain an average-sized Kenyan family (6-8 persons)
from within 6 weeks after sowing. The seed packs will be distributed to
families free of charge by the Kenya Red Cross Society.

Other funding sources: PREP-AID is currently sourcing funding and other
contributions from donor agencies, international organizations and
corporate sponsors. To date PREP-AID has had initial discussions with
representatives of the Kenya Red Cross Society (logistical support)

Summary: Urgent action is needed to address the current crises resulting
from displacement of large numbers of people from agricultural land, and
to mitigate the threat of famine and food shortages over the coming
months. The Famine Relief Seed Distribution Project represents a
proactive approach that seeks to address the problem before it happens,
and while there is still time to act. PREP-AID is ready and willing to
roll-out the seed distribution project as soon as funding is available to
purchase and prepare seed packs. PREP-AID has already identified
suppliers and partners to assist with the distribution of the seed packs.

What you can do? Reach out to Kenyans abroad via your blogsite and links,
letting folk know they can be part of this exciting initiative by either
1. Donating cash 2. Contributing by way of out- of- the- box ideas! 3. Writing to the Prep- Aid team to
keep them encouraged.

Regards

Su K Stephanou
Co-ordinator Prep-Aid

I am the person who makes these notes at the thrice weekly CCP meetings. The meetings are open to anyone to attend and consist of updates and measures to try to alleviate the situation as it stands.

Ambassador Kiplagat, one of the convenors and founders of CCP, often says in the meetings we must put all on the table – be honest, be upfoont, tell us what is happening in your area. He (and the other experience peace mediators who founded CCP) believe healing cannot take place without honesty.

My role in the meeting is to report the updates. I take notes and then disseminate them. I can assure you it is not at ALL in ANY way CCP’
s desire to be inflammatory. Quite the opposite. Their posistion is one of dialogue for peace (again using the experience the convenors have gained in Sudan, Somalia, Sierra Leone etc etc).

However, sometimes the reports are distressing. Sometimes there are tears in the meetings. This particular meeting was actually full of clergy, and full of anger.People are furious about what is happening. As regards Northern Rift and funding of violence – yes there was tangible evidence that had been compiled.

As regards the Red Cross – there will be interventions. The EU have also made this observation. Part of it is govt bias – eg not registering camps in Central (full on non-Kikiuyus), therefore not qualifying them for aid. All reports are from CCP witnesses on the ground. What tends to happen is there is an attempt to take up issues brought to the forum and resolve.Remember CCP is staffed only with volunteers – doing amazing things in my opinion. So with KNH, a group of women went to the hospital to discuss the partisan treatment. Measures have been put in place (including instant dismissal) that have improved the situation a lot.

We can’t hide what is happening in Kenya. And by bringing it out, we can do something about it. The situation is so very ugly in its detail – more than most people often want to acknowledge. But exposure and discussion is the key to reconciliation. Andthat is a lot of what CCP aims to do. Hope that clarifies a bit.

ati now she does come across as true Kenyan? Patronize much?

I am sad that the violence is continuing not sad, heart broken, and worse off to hear the Red Cross the most impartial body should discriminate on basis of tribe. a human in suffering is a human in suffering despite where they come from. It is disheartening that a few people are going to gain at the expense of thousands of Kenya who have suffered.

You know whats sad, the fact that Kenyans seemed to have forgotten already.