Covid-19: State urged to support children’s homes
Lake Nakuru Lodge Director of Marketing Joseph Muya (left) and Grassroots Empowerment and Gender Equity Kenya National Chairperson Grace Wambui Kibuku (right) show children at Jacaranda Home Nakuru East how to use hand sanitisers on April 1, 2020. PHOTO | FRANCIS MUREITHI |NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Muya, who is the Lake Nakuru Lodge marketing director, said that most children’s homes lack sanitation facilities.
- He said that the vulnerable children need to be sensitised on how to avoid contracting the disease.
The government has been urged to constitute a special committee to address a looming crisis in children’s homes following the outbreak of coronavirus.
Nakuru philanthropist Joseph Muya said while the government was doing a commendable job to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, children’s homes were seemingly left behind in the fight against the virus.
“These children’s homes have thousands of children who depend on local and foreign donation but since the outbreak of the deadly virus, the donations have dried up and the government should step in and save them from further crisis,” said Mr Muya.
PANDEMIC
He added: “It will be a catastrophic if the pandemic enter these homes and it is critical for the government to think on how to address such an eventuality in these homes.”
Mr Muya, who is the Lake Nakuru Lodge marketing director, said that most children’s homes lack sanitation facilities.
He said that the vulnerable children need to be sensitised on how to avoid contracting the disease.
“The homes depend on community volunteers who are overwhelmed as they are forced to attend to thousands of other members of the society to stop the spread of the virus,” said Mr Muya.
FOOD AND DRUGS
Apart from the need for awareness campaigns, Mr Muya said the homes were facing food crisis and urged the government to consider donating food and drugs to the institutions.
“Some of these homes are in dire need of urgent assistance as there is no help coming from the donors both locally and abroad,” said Mr Muya.
He was speaking at Jacaranda Children’s Home in Pipeline area in Nakuru East on Wednesday when he donated hand sanitisers, food and other hand washing items to more than 20 children at the home.
The national chairperson of Grassroots Empowerment and Gender Equity Kenya, Grace Wambui Kibuku urged well-wishers to support the government’s efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19.
“This disease does not respect individuals irrespective of their status in the society as it has attacked royal families, prime ministers among others across the globe and therefore we should come together as Kenyans and help the less fortunate in our midst,” said Dr Kibuku who is also a director at National Youth Enterprise Fund.
