Marsabeth, Kenya – As the sun approached the incendiary Zenith, Dukano Kelly graduated from the deserted settlement of Cambini in northern Kenya, and urged her family’s donkey by beating her with the Akassia branch.

Although the repressive heat is the one that starts from energy-although it has not been eaten since the morning of the day-Dukano, a 34-year-old mother, has no choice but to walk for several hours to the nearest well, a journey that will likely end with disappointment because the water levels are very low.

Since she was married by her family at the age of 15, these rituals were for a weekly router per week for Dukano.

Its praise is similar to those witnessed by thousands of women who live in international shelters with a modern, mature frame between black volcanic rocks on the arid plains in northern Kenya, where the presence of risks is already a daily battle for survival.

Relief groups say climate change does not make drought more destructive and repeated, but also deepening inequality in dangerous ways.

The most severe dehydration losses on human life are often unexpected.

One of the most worrying developments was a significant increase in the average child marriage rate, in societies that there was no rain for nine months.

The cattle on which people depend in these areas die from hunger and drought where the Earth becomes more sterile.

As a result, desperate families feel troubled to offer their daughters to marry in exchange for a camel and a few goats – an arrangement that may provide the family of the girl for another few months.

During a journey on rough tracks, barely made across the desert north of the regional capital, Marsabet, near the borders of Kenya with Ethiopia, stories like Dukano familiar.

Many girls are forced to marry while they are still children and soon they have to bear the burden of feeding their children.

“Drought made us poorer”

Nearly two hours after leaving the village, Dukano finally reaches the well on which the locals depend.

Donkeys are loaded with six yellow limestone boxes tied to his back with ropes.

Here, other women sit in the shadow of a single orthopedic tree, waiting for their role.

There are no men present. Unlike their wives, they stayed in the isolated village, comfortable with the most famous task per day.

It stares in the concrete tank, which is three meters deep (10 feet) in which water is stored, one can see that the width is about 10 cm (four inches). This water was transferred in the use of a loan, as the villagers explained, paid for goats – the only currency they have.

One of the women explains that the remaining water will likely be enough enough to continue the following week.

An hour after her arrival, Ducano finally gets her role.

Using a rope to lower the plastic boxes cut in the well, it highlights the water with patience, and stand by overcoming the clouds, ensuring that the decrease is not decreased: a painful slow process.

Once it is full, the cans are tied to their donkey on a long trip to the house.

“The last drought took all our animals,” says Dukano. “My younger son became very sick of malnutrition. He was weak and vigged all the time, and his hair began to fall. I was so worried that he would die.

“We have made this poorer, and now we are in another one seems to be worse.”

With three boys and two girls between the ages of 14 and nine months to survive, Ducano bears a strong responsibility, has a little help. With no transportation, access to Marsabit will take several days.

“Water scarcity has become more problem than time,” and continues. “I am really afraid that we will not be able to feed children, and we will never be able to bear the costs of the drug if they have the disease.

“Completely isolated”

In addition to increased child marriage rates, the Local Resources Management Organization (IREMO) believes that climate change may have contributed to increasing rape and sexual assault accounts they received in Marsabette Province. When the vegetation becomes scattered, female shepherds are forced to transfer their animals to more remote locations of grazing, making them more vulnerable to the men who leave them.

In the village of Bubisa, Wato Gato, in the early twenties, describes how she was left alone in the harsh landscapes to tend to animals when she was only fifteen.

Her family ordered her to find a pasture for the precious goat cutter – their only source of income during the drought – and stay there until the rain comes.

“The matter ended in a Bedouin camp with other shepherds,” Wato recalls. “I was forced to take the animals away because the drought was very bad. There was a man there, and on a lot of days it ended with goats near Lee. There was no one else.

“One day, he came to me, and although I tried to push him, and told him that I was not interested, he attacked me. I shouted, but because I was alone, I did not hear my screams.

“In the following weeks, he raped me three times. There was nothing I could do to prevent it; I was completely isolated.”

It was months before the fall of the first rain drops, and at a time when Watto knew it was pregnant.

When I reached her brothers, I expected their support; Instead, it was avoided. Her brother informed her that she had to leave to bring a shame to the family.

I was asked about what happened to the attacker, Wato only ignored. “He disappeared in the desert,” sighed. “I had no way to accuse him.”

Today, she lives next to the main road to the Ethiopian border, in an attempt to earn enough to feed her children by selling phone balances and camel milk to passers -by.

“It was not an option.”

“Given that caregivers and primary care providers, women and girls in one of the most dried areas in Kenya face the largest climate change effects,” said Elise Nelvendian, advisor to Oxfam in Africa, who works with local partners in the Marimo region such as Ermos, which was affected by providing emergency feeding in the field of emergency.

Nalandian explained that this deepens the insecurity of gender and threatens the income of women, health and safety.

“Women and girls should walk more to collect water and fuel – and they are often another than eating.

“Many are forced to assume unsafe jobs or migration, and put them in a higher danger, especially gender -based violence.”

Although women of all ages bear the burden of an aggravating climate and lack of money and food, younger girls are often less protected and most dangerous.

When she was only fifteen years old, Bok Molo’s parents told her that she would marry a stranger.

They were explicit about their motives: their animals perished, and therefore, the price of the bride of three beauty and three goats represents an exchange they consider more valuable than their daughter.

“Of course, I blamed my father,” “is 19 -year -old,” but at the same time, I know they will not do it if the drought was not very bad. For them, it was not an option.

Marital life was at first, she says. “Then, I became very offensive towards me.”

“He raped me several times, but I stayed with him. What can I do?” Book says.

“For my family, you will not return me because the man paid the dowry.”

In the background of accounts like Boke’s is the hardship that is depicted by the worst dehydration in 40 years.

This may be the best symbol of the towering Kerns outside the desert settlement in Campini.

In harsh sunlight, piles look like sparkling stones. It is only clear that the landmarks are hills of the bones of animals – every skull of camels, cow or goat on which the Burdi sponsors who wandered the plains once.