Kenya Coronavirus Update
This has been a time of great uncertainty for us all, and we still have a long way to go before the world will feel any way ‘normal’ again. Here at GIFT International we sincerely hope that you have been managing to get through these difficult days and all the challenges that Coronavirus has presented.
Unfortunately, as with everyone else, our programme of talks and events had to be put on hold from early spring 2020 which means that our fundraising essentially came to a standstill for the foreseeable future. Because of the way we work, i.e. budgeting for one year ahead, we have been able to keep current projects going, but the big challenge will be ongoing support for next year, never mind contemplating anything new. We are SO very appreciative of supporters who have continued with regular monthly contributions and we are extremely humbled and grateful to well-wishers who have sent us donations out of the blue. At a time when no-one knows how the future looks, these acts of generosity and kindness have not only enabled us to provide a little support for those badly in need right now, but also encourage us to look to the future with hope.
The Government in Kenya acted swiftly to implement lockdown and restrict movement in and out of the country, and movement in or out of counties that have recorded the virus is also banned. There is a dusk to dawn curfew across the country, wearing masks in public and social distancing are mandatory. This has all helped to stem the spread of the virus, but it is early days and we are still holding our breath. Unfortunately, in a largely informal economy, lockdown has been at a real cost to people’s lives and livelihoods. In Kenya, 1.6 million people face direct job losses through Tourism and this in turn affects 5 – 10 people per household that are being supported. On top of this, back in March/April, the country was seriously affected by massive swarms of locusts that devastated crops in several parts of the country, bringing the prospect of hunger later in the year. More recently, unprecedented rainfall has resulted in flooding on a huge scale, causing environmental destruction with landslides and rivers of mud sweeping through villages, devastating marketplaces, schools and thousands of homes, with serious loss of life. All this while people are coping with the threat of the pandemic.
It would be very easy to slide into a feeling of despair, but instead, we are determined to remain positive and just as each week, along with everyone else, we have been clapping for our own frontline heroes, we keep a flame of hope burning for the future in Kenya. After all these years, GIFT International has great partners on the ground, providing support for the projects and so, in its small way, our work in the communities continues even now. We were greatly heartened to receive a message from one community to say that the measures we had implemented over the years are helping to sustain them through this uncertain and economically challenging time. That one small statement is enough to make us all the more determined, when we come through the pandemic, that we will pick up our work again and continue to support the communities who, in the face of this global challenge, never lose hope and keep their faith in a brighter tomorrow.
Thank you for your continued interest. If you would like to support our work in Kenya, please email [email protected] for details, or visit the DONATE page at www.giftinternational.org
Unfortunately, as with everyone else, our programme of talks and events had to be put on hold from early spring 2020 which means that our fundraising essentially came to a standstill for the foreseeable future. Because of the way we work, i.e. budgeting for one year ahead, we have been able to keep current projects going, but the big challenge will be ongoing support for next year, never mind contemplating anything new. We are SO very appreciative of supporters who have continued with regular monthly contributions and we are extremely humbled and grateful to well-wishers who have sent us donations out of the blue. At a time when no-one knows how the future looks, these acts of generosity and kindness have not only enabled us to provide a little support for those badly in need right now, but also encourage us to look to the future with hope.
The Government in Kenya acted swiftly to implement lockdown and restrict movement in and out of the country, and movement in or out of counties that have recorded the virus is also banned. There is a dusk to dawn curfew across the country, wearing masks in public and social distancing are mandatory. This has all helped to stem the spread of the virus, but it is early days and we are still holding our breath. Unfortunately, in a largely informal economy, lockdown has been at a real cost to people’s lives and livelihoods. In Kenya, 1.6 million people face direct job losses through Tourism and this in turn affects 5 – 10 people per household that are being supported. On top of this, back in March/April, the country was seriously affected by massive swarms of locusts that devastated crops in several parts of the country, bringing the prospect of hunger later in the year. More recently, unprecedented rainfall has resulted in flooding on a huge scale, causing environmental destruction with landslides and rivers of mud sweeping through villages, devastating marketplaces, schools and thousands of homes, with serious loss of life. All this while people are coping with the threat of the pandemic.
It would be very easy to slide into a feeling of despair, but instead, we are determined to remain positive and just as each week, along with everyone else, we have been clapping for our own frontline heroes, we keep a flame of hope burning for the future in Kenya. After all these years, GIFT International has great partners on the ground, providing support for the projects and so, in its small way, our work in the communities continues even now. We were greatly heartened to receive a message from one community to say that the measures we had implemented over the years are helping to sustain them through this uncertain and economically challenging time. That one small statement is enough to make us all the more determined, when we come through the pandemic, that we will pick up our work again and continue to support the communities who, in the face of this global challenge, never lose hope and keep their faith in a brighter tomorrow.
Thank you for your continued interest. If you would like to support our work in Kenya, please email [email protected] for details, or visit the DONATE page at www.giftinternational.org
