Social distancing in the Kibera slum is near impossible with families living in informal one-room structures, without running water, sewage systems, etc. In our community, most people are day laborers - e.g., washing clothes for other people, house helpers, vegetable sellers, etc. Most have lost employment during this time and are struggling more than usual. The Kenyan government has slashed taxes for the lowest earning, but has done very little for informal laborers.

Schools being closed creates a great risk for children here, as families cannot afford to provide the daily meals that schools usually provide. Children from boarding schools were sent home on buses, putting them at risk of infection.

We are teaching children about the importance of hygiene and social distancing. We distributed food and hygiene supplies that should last families approximately 3 weeks. The food distribution reached over 100 families of children in our Nursery School and scholarship program We also donated food stores to another local community-based organization serving children in Kibera to enable them to distribute food to the families they support. The food distribution creates strain on our already overwhelmed budget as we distribute food for entire families, not just the children under our care.