NGO to give relief donations to Kisumu, Turkana residents

Hundreds of residents in Kisumu and Turkana counties will benefit from relief food from the Maisha project in response to the hunger crisis in Kenya.

The more than one million meals to be shipped from the US will also help supplement schools feeding programmes in Kisumu and Turkana.

Maisha project founder Beatrice Williamson said besides the feeding programme, the food will be distributed to most vulnerable families, orphans, elderly and widows.

“Several families across the country are facing hunger which needs to be supported with food and medication,” Williamson said.

She called for a collaborative effort by all stakeholders to help the government towards supporting those affected by hunger countrywide.

Maisha Project is an international organisation working at local levels in Kenya to empower people to transform their communities. 

It is headquarters is in Oklahoma, US. The projects in Kisumu are locally owned, managed and operated.

Williamson said the project targets to transform lives and empower her community by providing lasting solutions to address poverty, hunger, disease and fight illiteracy.

Williamson, born and bred in Chiga village in Kisumu East subcounty, said the organisation usually pays taxes when shipping in the food reliefs.

To ship the two 40 feet containers of food into the country, she said it will cost Sh1 million calling on the well-wishers to help them raise the money.

Williamson said the money will be used to pay for duty, taxes at Mombasa port and transport to Kisumu and Turkana counties.

“We are seeking support to ship some food home for our people from the US. We need help to clear and transport from Mombasa port to Kisumu and Turkana,” she said.

Williamson added, "We need help to tax waiver and transport from Mombasa to Kisumu and Turkana. This is the third time of shipping food to help our people."

“This year with inflation, we are requesting the government to help us with tax waiver," she said. Those  wishing to donate can make through Mpesa pay bill number 860564 with account number being  Maisha to support the food programme.

Last year, the organisation called on the government to invest more in infrastructure and medication for sickle cell patients.

Williamson said it is alarming that children born with sickle cell disease in Kenya can hardly live past five years due to lack of proper healthcare.

“We have learnt that sickle cell is a forgotten disease here in Kenya and a lot of people are born with sickle cell, which requires proper medication,” she said.

At Maisha Medical Clinic, the organisation supports families that have a situation like sickle cell who does not have an income.

More than 750 people were treated for various ailments such as malaria and cough. Over 1,000 children under five years were also vaccinated against measles and rubella.

Maisha also supports more than 1,000 vulnerable children, especially orphans and widows drawn across the county.

-Edited by SKanyara