Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya, thousands of families are struggling with deepening poverty and unemployment, 60% of Kenyan families can no longer afford three meals per day. A year ago, things were different for many.
The Kenyan governments efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 with lockdowns have led to rising unemployment. This has lead to high rise in crime, rape cases, and abuse within the families.
Conflicts within households are negatively affecting the children socially and psychologically leaving them vulnerable to negative practices. They are forced to seek refuge in gangs or in the streets.
At Millennium School Mathare, we have suffered low student enrolment as most parents have returned to their rural (ancestral) homes due to unemployment. From 280 students to 85 students!
We have taken extra measures to ensure that the school is running. We ask the parents to provide masks for the students and we provide clean water and hand washing facilities. This was implemented through a partnership with Sarnergy.
Jenga Africa! is trying to get the kids back to school, for 30 euros, per child, you could help a student get psychological support, food and education.
Join us in our quest to get the children out of the streets of Mathare!
More than 1.7 million people lost their jobs in the first four months of the pandemic.
Seven out of 10 of the households fear the economical impact more than the health impact.
