Photo © Julia Bucknall/World Bank |
It is very hard to explain through writing what befell us. The drought is more that what is seen on telly. I am now only left with one cattle. The rest were wiped by the drought. That makes me feel as if there is no future in me. I had a dream of seeing the number I had increase to more than I could think of. Now that dream is gone.
We had rain for only two days, the 15th and 16th of October. This is not enough to make the land green, so we are still hoping for more. I am touched by offers of help. I wish you could make some grass for me. Since there haven't been any rain in most places in the country, we found it difficult to move the cattle in search of grass. Many died on the way.
I have learnt a very hard lesson. I have seen many suffering - animals and people too. Our community land is becoming smaller day by day. Soon we will find no space for grazing and bringing up children. As a young samburu, it is very difficult to part ways with my cattle rearing tradition. But I have no option but to try to do other things than keeping cattle.
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