Thousands of needy residents of Karachuonyo constituency in Homa Bay County have benefitted from relief aid to cushion them from the adverse impact of Covid-19.
The residents from 1,400 households benefited from the program initiated by Nairobi businessman Jared Otieno.
Since March when the first positive case of Coronavirus was reported in Kenya, many residents have been rendered jobless resulting in reduced income.
Beneficiaries who included elderly persons, people with disabilities and other vulnerable people received the foodstuff and nonfood items donated through Jared Otieno Foundation.
The beneficiaries were given the foodstuff at various collection points across all the seven wards in the constituency.
Foodstuffs included bags of wheat and maize flour, sugar, salt, cooking oil and rice while nonfood stuff included bars of soap and face masks.
The foundation Chairperson Ely Oyier, Co-coordinator Hezron Orata and Secretary Fredrick Sije led various teams to distribute the items in the constituency.
Speaking at Wagwe in North Karachuonyo ward, Oyier noted that the coronavirus adverse impact was compounded by poor harvests in the last season.
“Floods wreaked havoc in this constituency by destroying homes and crops in farms. Many people lost their crops,” Oyier said.
Orata echoed the sentiments saying that covid-19 had left many young people with no income.
“We have also assisted some youth who lost their sources of livelihood after the pandemic outbreak,” Orata said.
The residents led by Nancy Aluga and Gorge Onyango appealed to other leaders in Homa Bay to come together and assist residents who undergo economic hardship after the outbreak.
“It is true that coronavirus has made life unbearable for many of us. We thank Jared Otieno for his intervention,” Aluga said.
They appealed to other leaders to emulate Otieno by intervening with more relief aid.
By Davis Langat
