I would like to brief you all about the effect the very welcome rains this rainy season have had on people at Chatsworth and the surrounding areas. The rains come after one of the worst droughts the region has experienced in its modern history. The rain cycle is almost set to bring a drought every four years. However, the drought just gone was very severe and water became a real life threatening issue for some. Chatsworth itself was not too affected because the dam from which we get water remained able to supply us. For some areas around us, some villagers had to travel very long distances to get drinking water.
The amount of water used in the home has a direct bearing on the health of the family member. The young ones are always the first to be affected. There were signs of malnutrition in the area towards the end of the drought and in a lot of cases, the families needed direct help.
The rains came around November and came in abundance. We wholeheartedly thank God for the rains. They were welcomed by everyone and I am sure even wild animals were happy to see the rains. Here I am just going to list some of the effects the rains have had. Whether the effects are good or bad is not the issue. I just want to go through with you and look.
1 The shortage of food was acute for many families. The arrival of rains causes many wild plants to grow without anyone labouring. Some of these are part of the human food chain. Of particular note are the following
Wild mushrooms: these come in all shapes and sizes and different nutritional value. This year many people were able to pick some and to dry any surplus for eating during the dry seasons.
Wild vegetables: There are plants whose leaves we pick and eat and these are many different varieties. Next year we may catalogue them. Many families benefit from these and some have high nutritional values.
Wild Berries: Towards the end of the season, many wild berries appear and children pick and eat them. They are not as abundant as they were a few years back. This is because the area's population has increased and there is less and less open space. Still children and some adults pick and each and add to their diet.
Wild fruit: Just before winter and sometimes during winter, the fruit that has developed during the rainy season ripens and can be picked and eaten by many. This year we have seen a wide variety of wild fruit.
These are the good points and I shall add some more later. There are a few bad points.
Water bourne diseases: Children like to play in the water and there amount there has been this year means water flowing for long distances carries with it many health hazards and passes them to people in otherwise clean areas. Of particular fear this year is Cholera and Typhoid. These have affected many in the country. I will see if I can find the Chatsworth figures from our local clinic.
Misquitoes: As soon as there is an abundance of stagnant water or just cool shade from the trees, mosquitoes start breeding heavily and can affect humans through malaria. Again I will post figures for malaria at Chatsworth.
Creepy Crawlies: The new grass grows fast and becomes a habitat for many small insects and animals. The good ones such as locusts are harvested (if in large numbers) dried, and kept for the dry seasons. Chatsworth area has not seen locust plagues for decades. We occasionally see an increase of locusts and some people go and catch a few, but there have not been enough to harvest. This is a good thing because if they reach plague status, they totally destroy crops.
Snakes: The country has had an increase of lethal snake bites and the health service has issued warnings. I have not heard of any at Chatsworth but i will make inquiries at the clinic. I will also find out if the keep any serum for any types of snakes expected in the area.
Maize Army worm: There is a worm called the army worm and if it arrives in any area, it can destroy the maize crop. This year conditions were good for the army worm to thrive. however, it seem that it arrived a little late and the local farmers saw its effects but could still harvest.
Waterlogged crop fields: There are a lot of local farmers whose crops were simply too waterlogged to thrive and the harvest will be a little less because of it. There are crops that could have been very good, such as rice and maybe sugar cane, but people here tend to grow very little of either due to low expectation of rain.
Tansportation: Road transport was badly affected in many areas and a few people died from accidents caused by poor driving, taking chances, missing bridges, potholes on the roads or other water related cases.
We are now heading for the harvest and I can confirm that there is no money in the country as the banks have run dry. However, we see it as God's providence that this happened now. Had it happened last year when we all depended on shops to buy basic day to day food stuffs, many would not have survived.
This page will grow and I might put pictures of some places around here. For now i hope you appreciate that we are infinitely thankful for the abundance of rain. We will ask the community to attend a Thanks giving Service, maybe during harvest, for the blessings of the rains this year. Life here is a lot easier when there is an abundance of water.
