The raging floods that have hit Kenya over the last two months, claiming 267 lives with 75 still unaccounted for, has exposed the struggle families living in underserved communities face in rebuilding their lives.
Mary Kamande, from Weiteithie location which was one of the most affected areas in Kiambu county best captures the plight of many families in the area; “Food, clothes, and other household items have been swept away by the floods. Many children cannot return to school because their uniforms and schooling materials were lost or destroyed. Their families do not have the means to purchase replacements as they struggle to recover from the calamity.”
Joseph Waweru, an elder from the same area recounts how the floods have heavily impacted those who depend on subsistence farming to eke a living. “All our crops and produce have been swept away by water, leaving us with no food now, and for the foreseeable future.”
It is the same story in the Kisumu Ndogo area of Ngaimurunya Ward in Kajiado County, where a victim, Nancy Wairimu Githare, lost all her household properties to the floods. She says it has been difficult to replace these items due to the tough economic times many are struggling with.
Rael Mayende (second from right), the Central Region Programs Officer at Crime Si Poa, with the Oshwal Mahila Mandal team, giving donations to people affected by floods in Witethie Sub-County, Kiambu County.
Responding to the crisis, Crime Si Poa partnered with our long-term friends, Oshwal Mahila Mandal who donated foodstuff, blankets, towels, soap, and snacks to 300 of the most affected households in Kiambu and Kajiado counties at events hosted by Zetech University – Juja campus and Glory Tabernacle Church in Kajiado North respectively. Besides hosting the event in, Zetech University also donated business umbrellas to SMEs affected by the floods.
According to Rael Mayende, the Central Region Programs Officer at Crime Si Poa, the impacted flood victims come from areas where the organization conducts its community engagement activities, and as such it was necessary to support them.
Ms. Bhartiben Raja the leader of the Oshwal Mahila Mandal team and the executive committee who committed to long term support to community initiatives targeting vulnerable families were all joys despite being marooned by heavy rains and a bus breakdown in Ongata Rongai after the event had been completed.
“We appreciate the support we have received from Crime Si Poa and the hosting by Zetech University to make this day successful. We look forward to helping more people in the country who have been affected and stand by them during the challenging times’’ said Bhartiben.
A resident from Witethie Sub-County, Kiambu County, receiving donations from a member of the Oshwal Mahila Mandal team at Zetech University, Kiambu.
The impact of these donations was profound, bringing comfort to beneficiaries like an elated Nancy Kamande from Kisumu Ndogo area who could not hide her joy upon receiving her package. Stating that the donation meant “a lot to me and others”, she expressed hope that the government will also step in to help those affected, as “they are not in a good state.’’
Crime Si Poa is about community. As we strive to empower citizens through crime awareness, legal empowerment, skills transfer and behavior change for a crime free society, we remain open to strategic partnerships and collective action that fosters resilience amongst those most in need. We thank our valued partner Global Fund for Children for standing with those affected.
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