“In normal times, life is quite difficult and challenging, it’s gotten even more difficult at this time,” writes our staff in Kenya.
Kenya currently has 296 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 14 deaths, as of April 21st.
However, things have stayed relatively the same regarding the rate of infection, so the government has continued to keep closed just the four counties it locked down last week. The daily nationwide curfew also remains in place.
The government recently announced some measures (a COVID-19 Support Stipend and other cash assistance) that many have been hoping and praying for because of the economic hardship that many extreme poor are experiencing.
The COVID-19 impact in Kenyan slums reaches far beyond the virus itself.
CALLS FOR HELP FROM TEACHERS AND PARENTS
We asked our Kenya staff about the “big picture” of how they and our church partners are being impacted and effected right now. Our staff wrote that the situation from last week remains the same with the schools closed and churches still unable to meet.
“I’ll say that each week the situation gets dire and people are getting more and more desperate,” our staff wrote. They’ve had lots of calls from staff and teachers, however.
They went on to say that one headteacher from a partner school in the slum called our staff. He was calling on behalf of the other teachers, inquiring as to whether there was any assistance that could be given to help them and their families. He also wished something could be done for the families of their students.
According to this teacher, while he was at the slum school, parents came in. They were asking what the school was hoping to do to help provide food for their children. He wondered whether there was any way the remaining food in the facility’s storage could be released and shared so that some of the teachers could have food for their families.
According to this headteacher, it’s possible that some people in the slum community may attack the school to steal these food items because of their desperation.
PRAYER NEEDED
As is quickly evident, Kenya is in a desperate place. Please be praying for these people who are suffering so greatly under the current coronavirus-related restrictions.
- Pray that God would move in mighty, miraculous ways to provide food for the hungry
- Pray that the coronavirus in Kenya would quickly be extinguished
- Pray for our partner pastors, leaders and teachers to have incredible wisdom in responding to and helping the community
- Pray for peace, that even though the situation is desperate, that people would not resort to violence
Other recent updates about the COVID-19 impact in Kenyan slums can be found here:
- Hello, COVID-19. No, we can’t practice “social distancing”
- COVID-19 Update from Two Pastors in the Slums of Nairobi
- Social Distancing? Impossible in a Place Like Mathare Valley
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