It’s hard to fathom how life could be more difficult for the people of Matoso, but when it rains it pours, this time quite literally. Last month, the rains came to Kenya and didn’t stop until much of the community was displaced and many livelihoods lost. We are appealing for your assistance during this trying time. In addition to being down by 35% of our normal donations year-to-date because of Covid-19, we are now faced with the task of helping this community rebuild. Please see the below letter from our project director, Marico, in Kenya.
Hello Jeff and Hillary,
I hope you are okay over there. We are fine but with many challenges such as: Floods, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the economy is in a downfall. All of these challenges together have resulted in very difficult living situations for the people of Matoso. The floods have caused many people to be displaced, leaving them homeless with businesses destroyed.
The lake and rivers have overflowed into the farm lands destroying this season’s crops. Not only are the lands near the lake flooded, but even the high grounds have turned to swamp because of oversaturation. Many houses have fallen and gardens are destroyed.
People who have been affected by this disaster are in need of some support. It is not easy to estimate the exact cost of support needed because people have lost so much. The victims need food support and materials to rebuild homes and businesses. Any donation you give shall be highly appreciated and will support the identified individuals. We believe we need at least USD $20,000 to start a flood relief fund to help rebuild the community.
At the Matoso Clinic the lower compound was also flooded, destroying the gardens for the orphans’ food, and the generator house and the lower fence have fallen into the lake. The Ongoro Children’s Home compound is also under water. We will need a new fence at the clinic and partial repair at the orphanage. For both fences to be repaired is about USD $2500.
Covid-19: The pandemic cases are increasing in Kenya with confirmed cases over 800, recoveries over 300 and deaths over 50. We already have 10 confirmed cases within Migori County.
Most of the adults 30 years and above wear masks especially when they travel to places like beaches, shopping centers, and markets. Some of the youths below 30 years and children are creating a high risk problem because they don’t seem to care so much, not wearing masks, or keeping a safe distance from each other. They don’t wash their hands frequently enough, and at the end of the day they join their parents and other family members at home. I fear this will result in a very dangerous situation for the elderly parents who are trying so much to follow the rules.
Our public health team is working very hard to provide masks to everyone and strengthen our education. They are driving around to all the villages using a loudspeaker to address the public and teach about Covid-19. They are so serious about it. Masks that many people are using are locally made with two layers of cotton cloth and one layer of a porous cloth. They are sold for USD $.50 to $1.00 each.
Economy: The economy has gone south all throughout the countryside. Getting material supplies for the small scale business owners is nearly impossible because of travel restrictions. People are really afraid, and there is an increasing food shortage. The markets are nearly empty, schools and churches are closed, and funerals are limited to no more than 15 people, which is very difficult for our large families.
Stay safe. God bless you and us too.
~Marico Owino, Lalmba Kenya Project Director
For the clinic construction we rushed to place an order for 300 corrugated tin sheets before the global pandemic drove the prices up, caused a shortage or something worse. Now we are rushing to transport them before the rains get too heavy and the road becomes impassable. The large truck we initially contracted to carry some of these building materials got caught out in the rain and has spent the last 4 days stuck in the mud. We used some sunny weather today to bring a few of the metal sheets the rest of the way up the mountain with our Land Cruiser. It will take a lot of tedious, careful trips, but we’ll be able to keep everything moving here at the building site.
It’s becoming much more difficult when we have emergencies to transport patients. The rain doesn’t seem to care how urgent our needs are. Last week we received a call from the government clinic down the road; they needed some help transporting a delivering mother with prolonged labor. The rain came suddenly 5 minutes into the trip and the hospital that is usually a 2 hour drive took 5 hours. The mother and child were fine in the end, but there is always risk we can’t control here. We were lucky and made it through the rain that day (snapping every one of the mud chains we use for traction along the way).
Tomorrow we will be rushing again, trying to secure some food purchases for the orphanage before, it is rumored, the roads will close again due to Covid-19. While we are rushing tomorrow we need to find someone to sell us infant formula for our 6 month old orphan, Yegerem. This is one of the import items which seems to have suddenly disappeared from the market due to the pandemic. Yegerem is lucky to have a Lalmba car at his disposal to go searching for milk.
A lot of vulnerable people here, single mothers, orphans, people living with disabilities or chronic disease, the elderly, are already being hit hard by the economic impacts of the pandemic. Most staple foods have already risen over 50 percent in price at the market. We are able to buy in bulk and head off shortages by shopping around, but most of the people in Kaffa aren’t able to rusharound like this. Instead they’re swept along in the current, overwhelmed by the uncertainties: How much will grain cost in a month? Will the outbreak reach Kaffa? Will I be able to find work next month? How do I feed my children? With 1 can of infant formula now costing half of what an entry level government employee might make in a month, for a lot of families these uncertainties are becoming very complicated.
Over the next few months we’ll be here in Ethiopia, racing against the rain and rushing to stay ahead of the pandemic. For those delivering mothers and children we are rushing around for, your support makes all the difference.
Thank you.
Jared Lollar, Lalmba Ethiopia Project Director
