Despite a myriad of challenges,
community-based organizations continue to support their clients beyond the
Covid-19 pandemic. Most went beyond their call of duty to ensure that
vulnerable families received essential care and support. Here’s the impact of
Covid-19 on community-based organizations in Kenya.
Kenyans of all walks of lives were relieved when President Uhuru Kenyatta lifted the dusk-to-dawn
curfew on October 20, 2021. , community-based organizations are still feeling
the impact of Covid-19.
The world is still recovering from the effects of Covid-19. While efforts have been made by
the government to salvage the situation, the impact of the pandemic on community-based organization is still going on. Here is how the impact of Covid-19 on community-based organizations in Kenya left damaging effects.
The impact of Covid-19 on community-based organizations in Kenya
Like many organizations,
Lifesong Kenya’s programs and activities got affected. First, the lockdown and
country-wide curfew meant we were not able to go to prison. Court hearings were
also put on hold while prison visits were frozen.
With court
cases not taking place, this meant that those in remand prison had to stay
longer without knowing their fate, thereby affecting them psychologically. Lack
of visits form friends and family resulted in being cut off from the outside
world. With time, relationships got more strained.
Since our
weekly programs and activities aim at bridging the gap between remandees, their
families and those they have wronged, the lockdown stopped this. Therefore, all
of our operations were cut off.
Secondly, we
lost support from our donors who were also feeling the pinch of the pandemic.
Due to lack of support, we were not able to pay staff members as well as pay
our admin costs. This resulted in some of our volunteers and staff quitting our
organization, leaving us short of man power.
One of the
most crippling challenges faced in the community was the loss of jobs and
sources of income. Families were not able to cater for their basic needs such
food, shelter and medication.
This called
for a solution.
The ten bob challenge
Like most
grass-root based organizations, organizations under the Rags-R-Riches Consortium
provided essential services and support to vulnerable groups in Kenya. Rags-R-Riches
is a consortium that brings together change makers who focus on uplifting the
living standards of gender based violence survivors, the homeless, juvenile
delinquents and other vulnerable groups.
During the
first lockdown in April 2020, Clifford Chianga Oluoch, founder of Homeless of Nairobi spearheaded an ambitious 10 day campaign. Dubbed the Ten Bob Challenge,
the campaign raised a total of 1.1 million shillings and benefitted 10
organizations under the Rags-R-Riches Consortium.
“I realized that organizations under
our umbrella were struggling with getting funding for their programs and
activities. People were struggling to get a meal while charitable organizations
were struggling more. Through the Ten Bob Challenge, we were able to support
each other using our collective social capital.”
Clifford Oluoch, Homeless of Nairobi
Light at the end of the tunnel
When the
pandemic hit, grass-root based organizations swiftly shifted to providing for
the basic needs of the people they serve. This enabled vulnerable groups to
receive care and support with food, rent and medication.
Through the
Ten Bob Challenge, Lifesong Kenya was able to receive support that
enabled us to meet the needs of vulnerable families. 30 households in Kibera, Satelitte, Kabiria,
Kawangware, Maseno and Mumias to get help. First, we save the benefitting
families from starvation. Secondly, we ensure that local businesses and shop
are able to earn income. Thirdly, this guarantees stability to our
beneficiaries and the businesses they usually buy supplies from.
