Church supports elderly affected by COVID-19 pandemic
As the Church in Kenya continues to give hope to the neediest affected by COVID-19 pandemic across the country, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) – Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC) on 2nd May 2020 donated foodstuff to Kariobangi Cheshire Home for the elderly.
Kariobangi Cheshire Home, (Nyumba ya Wazee), is a residence for about 40 elderly men and women. It also has a daycare program for more than 300 aged people from the neighboring slums, eighty among them are lepers from Tanzania.
Receiving donation of maize and wheat flour, rice, beans, green grams, cooking oil, milk, detergents, diapers and masks handed over by the Archdiocese of Nairobi Caritas and CJPC representatives, Cheshire Home Administrator Rev. Sister Lydia D’sa, a Franciscan Missionary Sisters for Africa appreciated the generosity extended to them through the CAFOD funding.
Sister D’sa said COVID-19 pandemic has posed challenges to the home as some well-wishers and Small Christian communities that used to bring food stuff and spend time with the aged are no longer able to do that. Neither can the elderly on daycare program eat together with residents.
“Now they cannot come here. So they come to the gate, they stop there, wash their hands and we give them provisions from the gate. But you can see the difference in them in this month. There are four who are desperately sick and living alone. We decided to give them hot meal and medical care then we give them some food to carry home,” she said
Sister said the donation came in handy as they emptied their stores on 1st, May 2020 adding that any gift given to the home goes to the day care program.
She said the elderly at the home are well catered for, though affected by the government’s restrictions and guidelines that cannot allow them to mingle freely.
“The problem is that they are a little bored as they cannot go to church nor receive visitors,” she said adding that the home is no longer able to take the mentally handicapped to clinics since they are closed.
By Rose Achiego, Nairobi,
