Our recent trip tp Lake Solai
The paradox that is the breathtaking beauty of Kenya and the extreme struggle the elderly, women, people living with disabilities, and displaced families due to internal waring have to face every day just to survive is startling.Last week’s food distribution was at an IDP (internally displaced persons) community known as Lake Solai. In Antoinette’s weekly report she writes.
The journey from the Springs of Hope Foundation in Nakuru to Lake Solai, is approximately 50 km, about 2 hours drive. While admiring the beautiful landscapes and Lake Solai with the beautiful, famous pink flamingos of Nakuru, we finally arrived at Limuru Center in Solai, on the outskirts of Nakuru town where we have IDP camps for the people of Turkana who have lost their land and livelihoods due to drought and intertribal waring. We were warmly welcomed by Hon. Wesley Kipchumba KEITANY (KARASTA) and the village elders.
Kirui Kuriu from #1000 steps spoke to the elders about the illegal and ongoing barbaric custom among their tribes of FGM, (female genital mutilation) of their young girls, and early child marriage and encouraged the youth to use their talents to earn a living. I also spoke about our empowerment and training program for their young women, inviting applications for our next intake of new students.
The people living in this camp were displaced by the insecurity of cattle rustling between the Pokot and the Turkana. The area is very dry with no means of farming to earn an income. Mostly the elders are barely surviving in the IDP camps. There are no hospitals or shopping centers nearby, making their lives unbearable.
The schools are far off and most children do not attend school.
As there is no nearby borehole, water is purchased and ferried by bicycles at an exorbitant cost.
They also use firewood for cooking which is carried by the women on their backs for long distances.
The few who were employed were laid off due to Covid 19. They received our food hampers with appreciation knowing they will have a meal for their families for the next week.
The roads that our volunteer logistic manager, Mr. Wachira uses to travel to the centers where our recipients gather for the food distribution are often unpassable.
The grateful families prayed that the hands that provided this food may be blessed so that we can feed more families.
Jennifer, Please help us continue to provide nutritious food hampers to as many families as possible. Gratefully yours,Jennifer Hughes-Bystrom
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