Give us food before we die, Gachororo slum residents in Juja cry to the government
Since the advent of Covid-19, the starving residents said they lost their sources of income after their businesses collapsed while hundreds of others who were working at flower firms, construction, and quarry sites lost their jobs.
Lost of hope, residents from the populous village said they urgently need food and water to survive the adverse effects of the contagious virus.
“We are at the verge of perishing since our stores have run dry. We are at a point where if nothing is done, the effects of hunger will hit more than Covid-19 will. Most of the locals here have lost their jobs at flower firms, construction sites while many who have been working at quarry sites been sent home after business went down,” Hassan Busoro, a resident said.
Men at the sprawling village said they can no longer meet the basic needs of their families, a challenge that has resulted to numerous family feuds and breakups.
Speaking after receiving over 500 face masks and some hand washing units from JungleNut Foundation, a Thika-based humanitarian group, the starving locals called on the Kiambu County Government to distribute relief food in the village to cushion them.
The residents further claimed possible spread of the deadly Coronavirus disease in the area as most of them lack the requisite protective gears such face masks, hand washing units and temperature testing equipment.
The County on Friday (yesterday) launched a rapid response fund targeting to raise sh 2 billion to mitigate the adverse effects of the pandemic in the region.
The fund led by former cabinet minister George Muhoho has already received donations worth sh 130 million in cash and in-kind and is looking forward to distributing food to about 27,000 vulnerable people across the county.
Jungle foundation representative Eliud Macharia revealed that the donation is part of Sh 5 million donations that the non-profit organization that aims towards a noble course of positively impacting the society is distributing to vulnerable people across Kiambu County.
“It has come to our knowledge that most families are struggling to make ends meet especially during the hard Covid-19 times. We are doing what we can to mitigate effects of the virus on the most affected,” said Macharia.
Macharia who urged people of goodwill to support those suffering during the indefinite period said every Kenyan has a responsibility of protecting themselves from contacting or spreading the virus.
