Turkana County got a major boost in the fight against spread of Coronavirus after a Non-governmental organization donated protective gears and detergents to vulnerable households.
SAPCONE an NGO operating in the region gave out water containers, face masks, handwashing detergents and materials with information on combating covid 19.
Head of programs for SAPCONE Jose Emton, , said the organization in partnership with PACT and Dan Church AID (DCA) offered covid-19 emergency response materials to the community members in five Sub Counties of Turkana North, Turkana Central, Turkana west, Turkana South and Kibish.
“We are launching the distribution of the covid-19 protective gears, whereby about 2,020 beneficiaries are targeted for issuance of hand washing materials, jacket reflectors, soaps, water tanks, stickers, sign posts and billboard inscribed with message of covid-19 awareness so that people can have information to handle coronavirus disease,” he said.
He said the team had mapped out arrears with vulnerable groups and was set to reach the fishing communities at Lake Zone and farmers in Turkana West and river Turkwel.
Also enlisted for the supplies are vulnerable families and children rescued from sexual and other related abuses to ensure that all sectors were covered under the covid-19 emergency response initiative.
We have launched the program of cash transfer to cushion the vulnerable community from hunger whereby at least 1,436 locals will benefit from the program for seven months. 420 households affected by the crisis of coronavirus will also receive food vouchers to cushion them from hunger,” he said.
Turkana County Commissioner Boniface Muthama who flagged off the exercise urged other development partners in the region to also chip in with the support in combating the spread of coronavirus.
He urged well wishers to direct their funds to efforts of combating the virus by providing protective materials of covid-19 to the locals such soaps, sanitizers, face masks, water supply and covid-19 control information to prevent the spread of the virus.
“Wearing of a face mask should be for survival and not because of the government. If anyone will be found in public place without a face mask will arrested and taken to quarantine for 14 days. Partners should play very important role of providing information on control of coronavirus disease to the community,” he spoke during the lunching of covid-19 emergency response materials organized by Sustainable Approaches for Community Empowerment (SAPCONE).
SAPCONE was established in 2006 first as a community based organization and later registered as civil society organization CSOs in year 2011 by a group of indigenous people with representation of the seven sub – counties in greater Turkana and Marsabit County.
Our main activities have revolved around; good governance and human rights, education and child protection initiatives and natural resource management. We also deals with civic education and promotes peace building and conflict mitigation.
By Peter Gitonga
