Covid in Kenya
For many of us in the UK, we now have somewhat of a grasp on what life could look like for the next few weeks and months. It will no doubt be easier on some than others and have consequences that linger for months and years to come.
For a moment, I would like to tell you about some of those within the community, Kwa Murugi, where we work in Kenya. A place regarded by many as a slum. A place where many who live earn anything between £0-£4 a day. For many, they don’t have regular jobs, they head out in the morning, in the hope of finding a days work. So now, with a closure of many shops and services in Kenya, these people simply have no work. They don’t have money in a bank and they have absolutely no opportunity to earn any money to feed their families day by day.
Let me introduce you to some friends . . . (Written by Kim, our partner on the ground in Kenya)
1.Mr Daniel
He works as a lorry loader and unloader. He is normally paid about £2.40 per day but this one is never permanent because not every time there is a lorry to work on he can even stay two days without a job. Now he is at home because all those jobs have been stopped making him stay at home all day.
2.Mr Wycliff
Is also another guy whose job as a builder has been effected. In a day when he gets a job he can get up to £4 a day max, mostly they divide this amount to buy some of the food and house pay house rent.
3.Mr Ouma.
He is a painter and general helper that is he can also unblock sewage lines, slash and also those manual work if there are any. Depending on the size and nature of the work is what determines the pay but in all this chores there is none that would exceed £2.50 per day. This is one of the family that we support fully from rent to food the reason being they are so many in their family (11) and these kind of jobs to find is not easy at all because they require unskilled people, of which there are many.
4. Jackline
She is a mother of 4 and her firstborn stays with her, she is 14 and has a 5 month baby. All the family depends on her, she only does casual labour like washing clothes or even washing houses. This is much better than what she used to be forced in to doing to make ends meet. Now she gets around £2 a day and this she divides it for food and house rent and its never constants or guaranteed, now because of the virus she can get any of this jobs.
These are just four of many families we support, all struggling, all hungry, all unable to make any money.
Many have tried going to the government food banks, but the demand is so high, that even the local officials have come to us to see if we can help. We want to step up and help our families as much as we can until this season of trouble has passed. We are planning to give each of our 30 families, £10 worth of food a week to keep them going. This will be purchased and distributed by our team in Kenya who have received permission from the local officials to continue with this work. Of course, if we can help more than 30 we will, the need is huge.
If you can, and would like to join us in supporting the community through this time, we would gladly receive your help. Follow the link below to our Virgin Money Giving website or drop me an email and I will give you details for a direct bank transfer.
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/donation-web/charity?charityId=1010153&stop_mobi=yes
We started today and in faith, will keep going until our families can get back to work.
Thanks friends & may you know God’s peace in the midst of these troubling times 🙂
Ben
