COVID-19 started as a ubiquitous virus in Wuhan, China and silently spread it’s fear and contagion across the globe.

While many were looking for appropriate responses in their own ‘back yards’, HOPE was connecting with our partners in various nations and asking: “How can we assist in your battle against COVID-19?”

KENYA was the first to respond with a responsible and credible request. Before I tell you want the request was, I want to provide you with the context.

In the Soweto slums of Nairobi, Kenya HOPE FOR THE NATIONS is in partnership running a school of 200+ students. All schools in Kenya have been closed by the government and now all of our students have been confined to living in the crowed squalor of their homes.

They have been instructed to WASH HANDS WITH SOAP but the problem is, they have no running water in or near their homes.

SOLUTION: the HOPE & BRIGHT FUTURE SCHOOL (H&BFS) WASHING PROGRAM.

This initiative was taken to “Protect Soweto Slum (250,000 residents) from COVID-19”. 

 You see, we were perfectly positioned to help. We have:

• A very productive borehole on school property which provides FREE water
• We have teachers who can go to homes to administer and teach each family the protocols
• We have connection to 100 families in the community … the parents of our students!

Mary Wafula, our school director asked HOPE, Canada for:

100 buckets with fixed taps @ KSH 1,000 ($130) = KSH 100,000 ($1,300)

100 water bottles (20 l each) @ KSH 100 ($1.30) = 10,000 ($130)

100 l of hand washing soap @ KSH 350 ($5 ) = KSH 35,000 ($450)

We immediately sent the funds and immediately the program started!

IMPACT:

• Over 800 families will benefit from the 100 stations set up.
• A huge percentage of the those who will benefits are children.
• Children from H&BFS were the source of solutions not only for their families but also their neighbors.
• Sensitization of the community on the importance of washing hands with soap as preventive measures of spreading the virus.
• Unity among neighbors as they have to work together to make sure there spot always has water running and safekeeping.

URGENT APPEAL: 

“Set up more stations as there is a huge need for other families in Soweto Community.”