19 June 2026
Thank you to everyone who has donated to The Bishop of Chelmsford’s Lent Appeal this year.
So far, we have raised over £10,000 for Anglican Development Services of Mt Kenya East (ADSMKE) to support their work in response to climate change and in environmental conservation across our five linked partner dioceses - Embu, Kirinyaga, Meru, Mbeere and Marsabit - in Kenya.
Communities across Mt Kenya East are facing the harsh realities of the climate crisis. Years of recurring drought have devastated harvests, depleted natural resources and pushed families into increased hardship.
In response to these challenges, ADSMKE is leading inspiring, community‑driven work to restore the environment and strengthen livelihoods. The Revd Sandra Eldridge, our former Diocesan Environment Officer, visited the Mt Kenya East region in Kenya earlier this year and saw firsthand the impact of the climate crisis. Sandra has written the report below following her trip:
“I’ve recently spent a month in the Mt Kenya East region with my husband, Dave.
"Although climate change has been affecting communities in Kenya for two decades, the effects are clearly getting worse. We visited many homesteads and communities. In one homestead, where they welcomed us generously with Kenyan tea and sweet potato, we were told “We have been experiencing climate change for 20 years, but we’ve never seen anything like this."
"The person who said this to us was referring to the failure of the autumn rains in 2025 and the resulting drought. Kenya has two rainy seasons per year, the short rains between October and December and the long rains between March and May. Farmers rely on these rains for crop growth and to provide water for household consumption.
"We saw how important community work is in these circumstances. We visited several women’s groups where the women are supporting each other, often through collective loan schemes, to improve their circumstances. We also saw how communities are themselves digging trenches for water pipes so that they can have water piped to their homesteads for the first time ever. When rivers and reservoirs are running dry more often, piped water becomes even more important. The alternative is fetching water using 20 litre water carriers, sometimes carried by donkeys.
"We also saw the effort being put into planting trees, trees that will improve ecosystems, prevent soil erosion and provide shade. In such dry conditions it’s important to plant a variety of native trees and to take care of them to ensure the best chance of survival.
"We also saw the difference water provision, harvesting and storage can make to building resilience of families and communities. This saves time in fetching water and saves money by reducing the need to buy water from communal water points.
"Finally, we saw what happens when the situation becomes extreme. In northern arid areas, in Marsabit Diocese, environmental damage is being exacerbated because some people have no other way of making a living except by cutting down trees to make charcoal that they can sell.
"However, the Kenyan church is planting trees wherever it can.”
The Anglican Church in Kenya is part of the Green Anglican Movement started in South Africa. This year its theme is “Wholesome Ecology.” While planting trees is important, funds raised through the Bishop of Chelmsford’s Lent Appeal will enable Anglican Development Services of Mount Kenya East to expand vital climate and conservation projects that:
- Builds community resilience to climate change
- Improves biodiversity and restores damaged ecosystems
- Enhances food security through sustainable agriculture
- Creates economic opportunities rooted in environmental stewardship
- Equips future generations to care for God’s creation
Donations are welcome to this year’s Lent Appeal until 1 July 2026. If you would like to make a donation or find out more about the appeal, click on the link below.
This article is taken from the latest edition of WePray.