Covid19. Kenya. Coping with Disease, Hunger and Unemployment

The SSVP Kenya supports 1,000 vulnerable households providing food and sanitary material, while seeking solutions to the high unemployment rate and the plight of street children.

Due to the Covid-19 health crisis and the attendant economic fallout, the SSVP Kenya is facing a tough situation. 

In mid-April, the local Conferences were left with virtually no resources for needy families in an even more vulnerable situation, desperately struggling with hunger and unemployment.

This is when Kenya’s Superior Council decided to apply for the Covid-19 relief fund, launched by the SSVP’s Council General International; thereby obtaining an initial amount of €37,000 to assist 1,000 households all over the country. 

This relief fund is administered by Kenya’s Superior Council, that has requested all Conferences to shortlist the neediest families in their neighbourhood, and to find shops and food banks using mobile money platforms, which allows to buy the necessary food hampers in a quick and efficient way. Hence, local Vincentians only care about collecting and distributing food hampers to families.

It is worth noting that the Church’s support is playing a very important role. As a matter of fact, all the food is blessed by the priests prior to delivery; and parish priests, witnessing the good work of SSVP Conferences, have decided to join in and contribute with their parish funds.

Most households have been provided with a basic food hamper (flour, dried corn, beans, rice and cooking oil) and hygiene products (sanitizers, soap…). It’s estimated that these hampers will help households get by for three or four weeks, till the next hamper delivery.

However, the SSVP Kenya’s concern goes beyond covering food needs, since it promotes sustainable solutions for reintegration into the labour market and to combat hunger and cold faced by street children during the harsh winter months in the African country. 

Source: Covid-19 Emergency Relief Fund Report – Urbanus Muthai – Kenya’s National President of the SSVP