This archive report was first published on 23 May 2020.
The people feeding the needy during virus crisis ¶
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the country, several individuals and organizations have stepped in to provide aid to those in need.
One such organization is Garden of Hope, a Community-Based Organization (CBO) founded by Victor Odhiambo in Kibera. The CBO has been offering free sanitization booths, buying food, and paying rent for families with people with disabilities in the slum for the last two months.
Victor, who was born in Kibera slums 30 years ago, founded Garden of Hope six years ago to provide sanitary towels to girls in the slums. When the pandemic struck, Victor felt he had to do more.
"Families of people with disabilities in Kibera slum, are some of the worst-hit by this pandemic. Most of them are struggling to reach government or NGO's help," says Victor.
Armed with Sh10,000, Victor set up hand washing and sensitizing stations in Kibera with assistance from the staff in his organization. The organization has managed to fundraise through Mchanga, individuals, and a few organizations, and has been able to assist over 20,000 people with more than Sh300,000, providing sanitary essentials, food, rent, and paying for NHIF for families, to cater to medical emergencies.
Another individual who has been making a difference is Jackline Waweru, a community activist in Shimo la Tewa, Kilifi. She has been monitoring the Kilifi County government response to the pandemic in the last three months and fundraising for food for people of Shimo la Tewa.
Jackline has been making noise in her community since she was 15, and has been using her experience, mentoring, and training in advocacy and leadership by community-based organizations (CSOs) to ensure that at this dire time, no one is abandoned in Kilifi.
Clifford Chianga Oluoch, 52, is a co-founder of Homeless of Nairobi. The organization has been feeding street and slum families while paying rent for the most vulnerable for the last two months.
Clifford, a teacher by profession, started the program in 2014 with partners Sham Patel and Zenah Mulei. Today, the organization has so far led to the establishment of a home for street children and a literacy campaign as well.
"With this pandemic, the situation on the ground is very grim since many of the street families rely on the nightlife from entertainment joints to get something from revellers. Some would survive by helping to park cars for a fee. With more people working from home, it has become very hard for them," explains Clifford.
