Somalia aid worker feels 'blessed'
A P.E.I. woman working in Somalia says she feels blessed to be helping out in the famine-stricken country and is asking Canadians to continue to do their part by donating.
Erica Kenny, who works for Canadian Baptist Ministries, was on the first international aid convoy into Somalia last week. Kenny was travelling with Amanda Lindhout, a former journalist who was held hostage in Somalia for more than a year in 2008-09.
"It was Amanda and I and a lot of men, so I was a little intimidated," Kenny told CBC News.
"I just knew that what Amanda was doing, and what I was really blessed to be a part of, was so necessary."
The convoy was the first to enter southern Somalia, an area normally controlled by Islamic extremists.
"As soon as we crossed the border we had this army around us and they protected us, surrounded us the whole time, and made sure everything went smoothly," said Kenny.
The group delivered aid for 14,000 people, but that's only a small fraction of what is needed. More than 700,000 are waiting for emergency assistance.
For all but a few Canadians, Somalians are just pictures on a television screen, but for Kenny they are people she's met and trying to help.
"We met with one grandmother — she's caring for nine grandchildren. She just sat down and cried with us, and said she can't feed her grandchildren. They're dying."
Kenny is now back in Kenya. She said she'll continue to do work on the ground in Africa and hopes Canadians will continue to help from home by sending money.
