Once again, the 36 families we work with in western Kenya are facing starvation. Yet another lockdown has been put in place that is impacting their livelihoods. With reports of some families already having to limit how many meals they eat in a day, NR has decided to initiate our second ever monthly emergency food relief distribution program. We have committed to provide each family with food supplies, along with masks and sanitary soap for a minimum of six months.
Kenya is experiencing a crisis-like rise in COVID19 cases and subsequent deaths. Kisumu County, and twelve other counties in western Kenya have been put under a third round of lockdown restrictions in the last year after the daily positivity rate in these counties rose to 21%, 12% higher than the national average. As of June 18th, when the lockdown was put in place, these counties accounted for over 60% of the national caseload of COVID19 cases. These counties are where our caregivers live.
Our primary concern is ensuring the 36 families we work with are able to have three square meals a day, despite the lack of income most are facing due to closure of the markets where they sell their daily wares. We want to make sure that the Orphans and Vulnerable Children(OVC) these families have taken in, don't become even more of a burden during such a difficult time. So that the caregivers, the OVC, at least don't have to worry about if they will have food each day.
As there is every likelihood that western Kenya will be in this lockdown for at least six months, we know that the situation is only going to become more dire as time moves on. These monthly food distributions will hopefully keep these families going while they do their best to come up with new ways to create income based on the lockdown restrictions.
