This archive report was first published on 23 April 2020.
On April 23, 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, a beacon of hope emerged in Elgeyo Marakwet. Caroline Makena, a 29-year-old police constable based at Tot Police Station, has been making a difference in her community by sewing face masks for residents.
Makena, who was posted to the station in 2016, has been producing 50 face masks daily using her own sewing machine and materials. She distributes the masks to residents in Marakwet East, who were previously struggling to access them due to their high cost or unavailability in rural areas.
According to Makena, she started making the masks after realizing that many residents were not wearing them because they were either too expensive or not available. She noted, "This is my way of giving back to the society and I am glad it is helping. I acquired tailoring skills at the National Youth Service where I went through before joining the force, and since I had a sewing machine, I thought why not help people in such crucial times."
Her colleagues and community members have praised Makena's kind gesture, with Hassan Kiptoo saying, "We thank Madam Makena for her kind gesture. We didn't know we could get such help, especially from a police officer." Area Assistant County Commissioner Linus Kotut and Public Health officer Jennifer Chelang'a also commended Makena's initiative, highlighting the importance of access to face masks during the pandemic.
