Kenya Update – August 2020
CHALLENGES FOR GIRLS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
The COVID-19 pandemic is having a tremendous effect on school going girls in many communities where education is already not a priority, it is affecting girls’ education. Thousands of girls are out of school, most of them adolescent who have become mothers. A lot needs to be done in these communities in terms of quality of and access to education, and COVID-19 worsens a situation that is already bad. In Kenya, this period of pandemic, statistics already show an increased number of school dropouts by adolescent girls due to forced marriages and teenage pregnancies.
School has long been a safe haven for vulnerable girls. Those who were in boarding schools received support and protection from the government. But now that they are confined to their homes, what will happen? Most girls have no food, basic supplies like sanitary towels nor the resources to study from home. Unfortunately, many vulnerable girls have been exposed to harmful cultural practices like Female Genital Mutilation and early or forced marriage.
Over this period going forward, our focus is, on advocating and talking about the importance of keeping girls in school and building awareness on proper hygiene and how to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It is girls’ education that produces exceptional gains in areas of health, infant mortality and the economic well-being of families. We held our first meeting at Olgulului, Soul Winning Church. With almost 100 girls and mothers to sensitize on importance of girls health and education and harmful cultural practices such as FGM. We gave out sanitary pads to all the girls, masks and some food for mothers.
Fig 1&2 giving out sanitary pads to girls at Soul Winning Church Gulului
Fig. 3 Mothers who attended the girls training
PASTOR EMPOWERMENT
Local pastors in the Maasai and other rural communities face a lot of challenges doing evangelism and reaching members who stay kilometers’ away from the church. It is because of this reason; Unite 4 Africa has been empowering pastors with Motorbikes so that pastors can do ministry work effectively and can support family in fetching water and easy transport to local market. In the month of July, Titus from Ololepo Baptist was blessed by U4A with a Motorbike to do ministry.
Fig 4&5 Titus Receiving a Motorbike from Rev. Moses Rianto of U4A Kenya
FOOD RELIEF FOR NEEDY COMMUNITIES
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the fragility of not only our health systems and economies but also our food systems. The concern is that thousands of families face months, if not years of uncertainty over the next meal. Finding food has been a constant challenge in recent months for many local communities. It is for this reason, Unite 4 Africa and its partners are supporting feeding of vulnerable and most needy families among the Maasai in Kenya.
PRAYER REQUESTS
- Please pray for Kenya as Covid-19 is on rise
- Please pray for the girls’ safety from harmful cultural practices
- Please pray for Churches in Kenya as they reopen
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