Many families in Kenya are struggling right now because they do not have enough food to eat due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. It has been especially tough on families whose survival is based on day to day activities in order to put food on the table. In light of this, we chose to step in and help families who are under our Stay in School sponsorship program. We received a special donation from our friends of good will in Canada – Rotary Club of Ottawa/International Service Committee, that enabled us to purchase non-perishable foodstuffs and distribute them to these families to at least keep them going for a few more days, as COVID-19 protocols continue. This was our second food assistance to these parents since the pandemic arrived in Kenya in March.
“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”
Here in Malindi, Kenya, we have been on lockdown since Early March, and curfew has been enforced across the country that forbids people from being outside at certain hours. We recently hoped that these would be lifted but instead 30 more days were added. This situation has slowly unfolded a backdrop of worrying levels of hunger and undernourishment, since most people are unable to find the usual piece work that sustains them and many have lost their jobs. We are grateful to the Rotary Club of Ottawa for their kindness in helping us to support needy families here in Kenya with these food supplies.
We purchased the foodstuffs, and with the help of our staff, repackaged them for the benefit of twenty-one (21) families. Each family pack included: a carton of long-life milk, maize flour, wheat flour, beans, green grams, salt, cooking oil, rice and an envelope containing some cash to enable them to cater for daily vegetables. It won’t solve all their COVID-19 challenges, but we hope it will free them from having to choose between buying food or paying rent!
Dealing with uncertainty has become the new normal, but amidst all this, we still remain positive! And, the support of Canadians from so many miles away for our students and their families continues to fuel our hope for the future!