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While schools still remain closed, we’re trying our best to make sure our students still access online studies especially our post-secondary (ps) students. We’re doing so by setting up space in our computer lab for them to carry on with their studies. This activity is conducted by observing all the ministry of health guidelines and regulations to curb the spread of Covid-19. Even though the majority of our PS students have laptops acquired through the organization’s computer loaner program, internet connection still remains a challenge. Come September, in case the number of students having online classes increase the computer lab access might be a problem since it can only accommodate a few students. The program is trying to work out on how to secure more laptops for students to borrow and provide internet access for them so that they can study at home.

The program is also thinking of a way our secondary students can access online studies and resources that schools are sharing with them. Majority of secondary students don’t have gadgets that they can use to access this content so they end up missing a lot. Considering their backgrounds, it’s also very difficult for their parents/guardians to have smartphones that their children can use for online studying. For our primary students, they can get study materials and exams question papers from their respective schools through their parents to keep them engaged during this period. Literature books are still being issued to students through their parents during food aid issuance days. The library reading area has been used for storing food aid in the meantime.

Also, due to an increase in teenage and unplanned pregnancies in Kenya during this period, SRH talks have been conducted through Whatsapp for post-secondary and secondary students with online access. We’re also sending weekly messages to parents and students reminding them to keep safe and protect their children from unplanned pregnancies by educating them.

Stay safe.

Each and every year we issue a new pair of school shoes to our Primary and Secondary students. The program has a yearly budget to support this cause. Since COVID-19 started, we have been trying to cut down costs and preserve our resources and Bata has contributed towards this cause by donating to us school shoes for over two hundred primary and secondary students. This means our shoe budget has been cut down by over half.

On top of the primary and secondary school shoes, Bata has also donated shoes to be issued to our post-secondary students. These are our students in Universities, Colleges and trade schools. Thank you Bata for this kind donation.

Be part of this cause by donating to help a child. Visit our website to see more https://nrcfkenya.org/donation/

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Since our students cannot access our library to read and borrow books, we have incorporated book issuance in our food aid distribution that happens for three days every week. Caseworker contacts their students during their check-in phones calls and enquires of any book the students’ needs from the library. The book can be a storybook or a school book. The caseworker forwards the requests to the librarian who comes to the office to sort the books. Once the books are in order she hands over a list containing students’ names and the books they requested. The response team issues the book to the student or the parent when they come to pick their food aid and reminds them to return the books in two weeks’ time when they come to pick another food aid. The books are quarantined for one week before being re-issued to other students.

The program is trying in all ways to ensure the students continue with their studies. Students with assignment or exam papers they need to be printed they forward them to the ICT Department through WhatsApp or email. The ICT department prints the assignments and exam papers and informs the respective caseworkers to organize the students to come and pick the papers.

We also share study resources through our social media and websites for our students. Our students’ portal is also adequately equipped with study resources to keep our students busy.

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Due to the pandemic. Our priorities shifted from the normal activities to facilitating food aid distribution programs and students/family assessment during the crisis. However, Our mission of transforming lives is still being achieved through the new normal.

All our students have been contacted and they are well and safe together with their families. We are happy to report that 80% of the students have managed to study from home. For students who do not have access to the internet and laptops, we have managed to schedule them at the computer lab. There they can access the internet and continue with online studies while observing  safety guidelines.

We are feeding approximately 300 families every week with enough food to last a family of five for a month. The exercise is conducted while observing all the ministry guidelines of wearing masks, washing hands and keeping social distance. We appreciate all our donors and partners including Kimfay and Bimeda who continued supporting the food from friends program. Our families can have something to feed n during this difficult times.

We are working closely with our primary schools to ensure that our students continue learning from home. The schools have printed revision materials that were received by all students. In preparation for the important national exam at the end of the year, we are collaborating in an effort to ensure our candidates are well prepared.

In addition to school work, students have continued to rediscover themselves and are engaged in new hobbies like online writing, reading novels, cycling, bead work among other activities. Others assist their siblings with homework and help with house chores duties. It is the new norm and we hope to get through the crisis. Stay home. Stay safe and observe the ministry guidelines. We are in this together

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NRCF’s priorities in our COVID-19 response is to focus on family food aid. We are calling this new initiative Food from Friends. In the course of a normal April holiday, during normal times, our program provides students with breakfast and lunch each weekday known as holiday feeding program as well as a hearty lunch on Saturdays during Saturday program. We are no longer conducting these programs due to the government directives on social distancing and avoiding gatherings. The children are at home with their families who are also no longer working. 

The community we work with is extremely vulnerable to the harm COVID-19 will inflict on people.  Most of the students’ parents and guardians have pre-existing health conditions such as HIV/AIDS, they all have limited income (usually earned by performing casual labor that has already evaporated. Caseworkers have contacted each family in our program over the past two weeks. So far, no families in our program (including staff) have been diagnosed with COVID- 19. But, we’ve learned that 90% of our families have no source of income during the economic lockdown and need food aid support.

We have increased our budget for emergency food aid and believe it will be sorely needed in the coming weeks. We are also running donations appeals both locally and in the US. Click here to learn more.  A donation of kes 1000 can provide a food packet that feeds a family of four for one week. Each food packet contains 1 kg beans 2kg of rice, 4kg of maize flour and 500g of cooking fat.

We have approximately 300 families dependent on our program. In the last two weeks, we have been able to issue food aid to 200 families among which 72 of the families have gotten the food aid twice. 75% of our families have 3-5 people in a household and the food pack we give can only last them for a week.

We expect the need for food to grow as the government imposes more strict measures limiting movements around the city. We are looking at being able to provide bigger quantities of food that would last the family a month so that we also minimize the movements of parents coming for food aid every week. We thank our donors and well-wishers for your commitment to providing Food From Friends. Please click on this button to give today. We are in this together and we shall overcome. Stay safe