80,000 vulnerable Kenyans who lost income sources due to COVID-19 are
set to receive Ksh. 606 million (€5 million) from the European Union through
non-profit organisations.
EU Ambassador for Kenya Simon Mordue
said the aim of the project is to improve food security covering 50% of
recipients’ food needs, and other essential costs such as soap, water, rent,
and mobile phone credit.
“The EU is standing with Kenya during
this difficult time, providing a lifeline through cash transfers for the worst
affected people in Nairobi’s urban informal settlements, including women, the
elderly and persons with disabilities,” he said in a statement.
According to the EU, an estimated 30%
of Kenyans living in Nairobi’s informal settlements are experiencing severe
hunger as a result of COVID-19.
The EU’s partners are expected to
provide 20,000 households living in the Kibera, Korogocho, Mathare, Soweto,
Majengo, Gitare, Marigo, Gatina Lunga Lunga, Kayole and Mukuru informal
settlements of Nairobi with monthly cash transfers for three months, starting
June.
The direct cash transfers will be
done via M-Pesa and will complement the Ministry of Labour’s Inua Jamii programme.
EU’s
partners in the program are Oxfam in Kenya, Kenya Red Cross Society, Concern
Worldwide, ACTED, IMPACT, the Centre for Rights Education and Awareness, and
the Wangu Kanja Foundation.
47 year-old Priscilla Ngilla, a
mother taking care of two children in Kibera said: “It has helped me a lot, I
even thank God for that. Because…this house, if you hadn’t sent me that money,
I wouldn’t be here. I would have been chased away. But thanks to what you gave
us I was able to divide it a little and pay for the house, and a debt I had
nearby to pay for food.”
Mat Cousins, Oxfam in Kenya’s
Humanitarian Director said: “By mobilizing resources quickly, the European
Union has shown its commitment to working in partnership with the people of
Kenya, government authorities, civil society and affected communities. This
whole of society approach will save lives.”
The EU itself is contributing Ksh. 35 billion to Kenya’s response to COVID-19 whilst EU member states have already
provided more than Ksh. 3.3billion (EUR 30 million).
“That figure continues to increase and this collective support by Team Europe is a statement of Europe’s friendship and partnership with Kenya in these difficult global times,” the statement adds. – The CitizenTV
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