Covid19 Hits Kenya Hard
Dennis Were, Community Health Officer and CES Alumnus Delivers Water in rural Meru County of KENYA
The Covid19 global pandemic serves as a stark reminder that much is required to rebuild and strengthen the social, cultural, and economic fabric of Kenya. There are disparities and inequities that need to be addressed in order to secure human rights for all.
Take Africa for example. Despite some government leaders failing to acknowledge its presence, there are reports from the ground that COVID19 is just beginning its relentless march across the continent. In Kenya there have been numerous concerns expressed through a recent survey of our CES Canada/Kenya Alumni group.
There is evidence of an increase in Kenyan youths committing suicide. Use of illegal drugs is rampant. These have much to do with acute stress levels causing depression, leaving young people with few alternatives and seemingly with no way out.
With 45% of the population under the age of 25 years and with a reported 60% unemployment rate in that age group, combined with a staggering 1.2 million orphaned by HIV/Aids — a recipe for disaster.
Our own CES alumni, those who have been nurtured and provided with education scholarships over the past fifteen years, are equally vulnerable. They may be pushed too far, thinking they are alone, that life doesn't make any sense to them, and that no one cares whether they live.
That is not true. The only way to demystify that thinking is by sharing and communicating with them the truth about Covid19, and also sending encouraging messages of hope and love using social media. CES is in contact with many of our graduates. Recently a COVID Benevolent Fund has been created that many have already been able to access. That is a good start.
Currently all schools, universities and churches are closed. Travel is not permitted and social gatherings have been banned. Most workplaces have been shut down. Curfews remain in all areas of the country. Police officers have reportedly used undue force and some people have been forced into quarantine for the mandatory 14 day period and then asked to pay for their upkeep. Our students need help — as a small Canadian NGO in western rural Kenya, we are responding as best we can.
The effects of Covid19 on family life has been catastrophic. Young people who are forced to leave school cannot travel home. They find shelter where they can, often in unsanitary and unsafe locations. How does one even think about washing hands when there are no funds to buy soap? What good is soap when only 20% of the population have access to clean water? How does social distancing manifest itself in areas of dense population?
Some students fortunate enough to have traveled back to their hometowns are unable to access internet and online teaching. Others remain in Nairobi with decreasing economic opportunities and income. The resulting economic recession has contributed to youth idleness and the rise of law enforcement abuse and violence.
A few months ago the world of our young people consisted of lectures and university life. That has changed. There are no safety nets to allow them any support for their basic living requirements. The potential danger is that an individual is left locked in their mind, alone with their own reality and negative thoughts to deal with. There is a level of fear that we in the western world cannot fully comprehend.
The digital divide is the key obstacle for e-learning in Kenya. In rural western Kenya where CES operates, the biggest hurdle is to move beyond 3G communications. Most families have limited or no access to the internet. CES Kenya is operating an online Leadership Training program through its Continuing Education Program. Students have been provided computers as well as funds to access the internet.
Kenya has recently instituted online programs and platforms for students across the country. Classroom sessions for students in remote areas are being conducted over radio stations through the UNHCR’s Instant Network Schools platform. The potential power of education through the internet is difficult to assess. Not all teachers are trained in the IT management of learning platforms, and they face difficulty delivering their classes online. The reality is that many students do not have access to the internet.
Not widely publicized is the concern that violent extremist groups are poised to take advantage of an unstable social situation. With a country overstretched economically, and with 40% of the economy lost due to lack of tourism, there are fewer funds available to even deal with the costs of health care, let alone protecting civilians from terrorist attacks. The negative impact of the pandemic, particularly at the east coast and moving northward towards Somalia is that some youth may be enticed or forced into joining a terrorist group.
Having lived in northeast Kenya teaching and doing research in schools surrounding Garissa, Wajir and Dadaab, I am aware that the effects of Covid19 can be even worse in these isolated areas. Goods and services and transfer of funds from domestic and international sources are not as they were pre-Covid19. Reports of insecurity in these areas are increasing. Health care is limited and hospitals are sadly lacking in equipment and medical supplies.
There are no easy answers to a pandemic that is destined to cause untold hardship and suffering. Covid19 has hit Kenya hard. There is little advocacy for the most vulnerable, the marginalized and disabled, the voiceless and those suffering from racial bias and segregation. Lack of adequate health care and funds to pay for services will keep the majority of those away from a hospital. Fear of contacting the virus will keep others from seeking medical attention. Victims may die and not even be counted in the national data base. That alone will skew the statistics that currently show relatively low numbers being affected.
What is emerging however, is a high level of compassion for others and a stronger feeling that leaders need to step up and serve their people. The beauty and pathos of Kenya is seen in its people — trusting to a fault, yet living in hope that tomorrow will be better. With Covid19, pray that day will come sooner rather than later.
Michael Frederiksen, CES Canada