COVID-19’s impact in Korogocho

Ravinder Sharma visits Korogocho
August 22, 2020
Teenslive Radio Show
August 30, 2020

COVID-19’s impact in Korogocho

Be Kids Australia Scholar, Felix reflects on how they are responding in the wake of COVID-19.

How COVID-19 has affected my community

The corona virus COVID-19 pandemic being defined by UNDP as global health crisis of our time and the greatest challenge we have faced since world war two has shown up at a very difficult moment of lives. Having been raised and brought up in Kenyan slums I know how hard this Pandemic is to us. 

The Pandemic has really brought fear in my home area (Korogocho and her surroundings); this fear is not only on our health, but also on our surroundings and how we live; we are in a very populated area just like most slums worldwide and this contributes to struggle towards basic needs like health. 

Most of our parents depend on Juakali sector as a form of Employment; they are venders, welders, touts, mothers seeking to wash clothes for people, house-helps, people who really depend on day to day work as you earn mechanism.

All this amazing efforts have now been brought to a stop, and this keep us thinking how are we going to have food on top of our table, some have even having one meal a day, will we be able to afford the cheap local clinics that we depend on? In the case of this pandemic are we really in a good state to curb it now that even schools are closed?

Some of the kids have stepped into their parents’ shoes to make ends meet.

We have been coping up with our usual issues, solving some of them and adapting to some which are beyond us but here comes COVID-19, a heart breaking virus that has gone deep not only into our health, but also into our pockets, not only into our daily activities but also into our academics. 

With all the above we are still strong and firm, following the set up measures by WHO and the government orders is now our new tool to curb the spread of Corona COVID-19. 

Different groups have been created within my community to help stabilize everyone during this period. I took part in two different groups; I collaborated with young football coaches who wanted to find out how their players were doing during the pandemic. 

We moved from one house hold to another listening to issues affecting both children (players) and their parents. We visited at least 24 households from which we noted down the challenges and through the photos we took and posted on social media we acquired help from well-wishers inform of food.

In partnership with Child space initiative we also conducted a follow up on some of its members who are mostly pupils. With them we carried out a simple on camera interviews on how they are doing, how the incident has affected them and word write-ups Champaign to pass prevention measures/message to people so as to help curb the spread of this Virus.

As community we are trying our level best to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus and also to be our brother’s keeper and together we shall overcome this.

Pictures @ https://www.facebook.com/felix.camau