Help 60 Vulnerable Children Stay in Their Families

Hello,

I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe and well.

Since March, thanks to your kindness, we have been supporting 156 vulnerable family members with emergency support to provide food, hygiene products and for some families we’ve been paying their rent to prevent them becoming homeless. The restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19 meant many of the families of reintegrated children have lost their only income, with schools closed the childen are at home all day and are in dire need of support.  We’ve been speaking to all of the families and children on weekly phone calls to assess their needs and to provide counselling and advice to support them through this worrying time.

As restrictions have eased slightly, last week we held some social distanced training sessions on financial literacy and business skills. We are working with the families of the reintegrated children to support them to set up their own small businesses so they can become financially independent and support their children with basic needs, healthcare and school fees. Unemployment levels are set to rise significantly, particularly in rural areas and slum communities, so it’s even more important that the families can have a means of earning their own money to support their children.

We are acutely aware that many of these children were in children’s homes because their families had to make the agonising decision because they couldn’t afford to look after them. We are doing everything possible to support the families and make sure that poverty doesn’t separate a family again, and we can only do this thanks to your generous support. Many funders are closing their doors to international charities so we are incredibly grateful for your generosity, and for standing by us at such a difficult time.  

Here are some updates from some of the families you have supported.

James 

James and his family live in one of the slum areas of Nairobi county and are part of our Family Strengthening Programme. He is a casual driver with a transport company that closed down after the government imposed the country-wide lockdown. He is the breadwinner of the family as his wife cares for their four children, the family depended on him to provide for their daily needs. He says; “after I lost my job, I was so worried and stressed to a point I had to leave the house in the morning to avoid confrontation with the mother of my children because Covid-19 had turned our lives upside down and I didn’t know what we were going to do, I was desperate. My family had a very difficult time to cope with the changes we were forced to make and I had run out of money.” James tried all means to get a casual job but there just aren’t any available at the moment. 

When he received the first emergency cash transfer, he said that he was overcome by emotion as they were about to be evicted from the house they were renting and he had no money for food. He said; “the support that I received came at the time when I had reached the end of the road and I was in dire need. I would like to give a big thank you to donors who have generously supported the Covid- 19 emergency response.” James says he budgets carefully to ensure that they have enough money to take them through the month. He is now able to pay rent, utility bills and buy enough food for the family.

Beatrice 

Beatrice is a grandmother of three girls who she has fostered for the last 13 years.  The three sisters, Mitchell, Dorcas and Florence were abandoned by their mother after suffering from domestic violence and the children were left under the care of their grandparents. 

Beatrice and the family live in a single-roomed house in the Kibera slums.  She is a vegetable vendor and her husband is a night security guard.  Her husband lost his job and the only source of income came from Beatrice’s small business which was at the brink of collapse as she had no money to get more vegetables for sale as the majority of her customers would take the products in credit.  Beatrice says the cash transfer has really helped her to provide daily meals and pay rent.  She says “I am so happy and grateful for all the support that you have given me and my grandchildren all these years.  I would not have been able to provide for them during this difficult time as the business has also been affected.  Thank you for supporting my family”

Thank you once again for standing by us during this difficult time.

Best wishes,
Kirsty Erridge
Director