This is another one of those times when the problem is completely overwhelming but we’re finding a way to do SOMETHING to help, and we hope you’ll join us.
With so much else in the news, you may not know about the devastating flooding in East Africa. Kenya has been on watch for its first ever cyclone. All schools are closed indefinitely. Thousands of families have been displaced in Nairobi County, and it is thought about 100,000 across Kenya.
GNG has several projects in Kenya, led by our Communications Manager, Brian. In March the shipment we sent with contributions from all of you finally arrived (photos of that adventure still to come). Brian delivered clothes and school supplies to Moses, a teacher in a slum outside Nairobi. He’s been working to open his own school serving children in his community. We recently posted a blog describing how we’ve been helping him and his young family.
(Below: Brian(right) delivering clothes and school supplies to Moses a few weeks ago.)
Unfortunately, the torrential flooding has displaced them. Without much warning (24 hours, but bulldozers showed up at 3am) their encampment was destroyed. All together, any homes around 178 dams and reservoirs in Kenya were demolished in an effort to prevent deaths and worse damage that could be caused by the flooding. They were able to salvage their mattresses, chairs, blankets, utensils, some of the children’s things and move them upland with the help of friends.
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Some of the displaced families are being assisted by the Red Cross temporarily, but the system is overwhelmed. Not enough tents and other resources. Families were given bags of flour or maize but have nothing to cook on or with. Moses and his family would like to take what they have and move to rural western Kenya 190 miles away, where he’s from, to spend a month or more there for respite and to figure out next steps.
Good Neighbors Group will help them with transporting their possessions and the family plus money for essentials until Moses can find work. If you know the parable of the child helping one starfish on the beach, apply its message to this situation.
To those of you who have donated to Good Neighbors Group, we are grateful we can support Moses and his family. Brian is currently working on options to hire a driver with a truck to take the family of 5 and their belongings to their temporary home.
If you would like to know more about the situation as it changes and other projects to help people in Kenya, please let us know. If you’d like to help with more projects like these, we welcome your support.
Thank you!
Julie
