2020 Update from BHW Kenya Partnership Facilitators

Key Person: Jacklyne Ogutu

We were unable to visit Jackie and the Lean on Me partnership in 2020 due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. 

Recent Events 

A number of events have affected the Lean on Me partnership which has set them back considerably. The COVID-19 global pandemic has been a major event causing everyone in Kenya to go into lockdown resulting in the loss of jobs. The locust outbreaks and the floods have also seen major crop loss and inflation.  

The combination of these events has had a major impact on Lean on Me with just about everything being put on hold. 

Bright Hope World donated money from the COVID-19 relief fund which was used to purchase food for the families connected to the project who were most in need. 

Income Generation

They have purchased two tents (50 seat capacity) and 100 chairs to hire out as an income generation business but due to COVID-19 related restrictions on gatherings they have not been able to rent these out yet. 

Re-usable Sanitary Pads

The sewing of reusable pads was doing very well and health education programmes in the community were underway but now everything has stopped. 

Table Loans

The table loans have been largely impacted as the groups cannot meet and members are defaulting on their loans. The businesses that were started with the loans have all shut down due to new restrictions and they are unsure how they will be able to build themselves back up again. Members are therefore not able to repay the loans. 

Partnership's Influence within the Community

With the help of funds from BHW's COVID-19 appeal Jackie was able to provide food relief for some families in the community. She was also able to install water tanks into three schools to meet new government requirements for the schools to stay open during the pandemic. 

Current Issues and Challenges

The lockdown restrictions in Kenya have caused a halt on businesses including those that were started within the table banking loan programme. Loans currently cannot be repaid and there is uncertainty around how they will be able to pick themselves back up after the restrictions are lifted. 

They have had to re-establish the majority of their projects, the soap making, the petty coats, the sewing of sanitary pads and education programmes, and the table loans. They will need time to adjust to their ‘new normal’ as Kenya settles into life in a global pandemic.  

Prayer and Praise Points

1) Pray for protection over our partners' health and wellbeing. That they will be protected from contracting coronavirus.
2) Pray that they can continue to have an impact in their community and the health of its members.
3) Pray for the reestablishment of their project during the COVID pandemic. Pray that the table banking project can build up its capital and continue to support those involved. Pray that the sanitary pad project would continue to bring education and change the lives of the young women in their communities.
4) Pray that the soap making business will go from strength to strength and bring in an income for those involved

Comments

2020 was a difficult year for Jackie and Lean on Me. They have shown resilience in the face of uncertainty and despite their projects being put on hold were able to find other ways to support the community through the pandemic. They have a long road ahead of them as they begin to rebuild their projects but they are well underway.