“We shall not defeat any of the infectious diseases that
plague the developing world until we have also won the battle for safe drinking
water, sanitation, and basic health care.” –Kofi Annan
DONATION APPEAL AND OPPORTUNITY TO IMPACT HUMANITY:Many
people in the developed world have never seen an actual slum in person. The
conditions there are worse than you can imagine and the result is illness and
death, general hopelessness and widespread depression. These people have never
seen conditions improve in their entire lifetime, so they have given up hope.
These are the people the AID Kenya Foundation is trying to help.There are over
10,000 households living 2 villages and two major slums without sufficient
basics like water and food: The Likoni in Mombasa; Lunga Lunga and Msambweni in
Kwale along the coast and the Mukuru slums in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital. There
are many problems there related to overcrowding, poverty and general filth. The
main problem that needs to be solved is basic access to clean and affordable
drinking water, and simple, but functional toilets. If we can solve these two
overwhelming problems, many of the other problems will improve on their own.
But today, people are dying in droves due to cholera, dysentery and other
diseases related to contaminated water and untreated sewage. A large percentage
of them are children under 5 who lack the immunity many of the adults have
developed.
Our charitable Trust-AID KENYA FOUNDATION - is currently
operating three community schools and two orphanages in these slum areas. We
serve over 2,000 children daily from poverty-stricken families. We have been in
operation since 2006 – so far, we have been able to provide education, shelter,
food provisions and even some sponsorship opportunities for these children.
However, we can only help them while they are with us. When they go home to a
filthy shack with dirty water and poor sanitation, they could end up with an
illness that might make them unable to return to our community schools.
Running water is non-existent in these areas and the
authorities is corrupt and broken – they can’t do anything to help. Many
families not only lack access to the water, they have no cans or containers to
store or transport it. So they are forced to spend their meager income to buy
it at high prices from street vendors.
Our plan is to drill three new boreholes, provide jerrycans
to transport the water to the families that need it, and construct some
permanent pit toilets (latrines) out of cinderblock and cement. This will help
to combat the ever-present cholera as well as jiggers – a parasitic disease
that is very widespread, from untreated water, poor sanitation and hygiene.
It is an expensive project, but when you consider the amount
of people who could benefit from these small and simple improvements, the cost
benefit is amazing. And if many people could just contribute a few dollars –
the cost of a cup of coffee or a burger. For that tiny amount, you could be
saving the life of a child. Most of the children and the communities are
infested with jiggers fleas due to lack of water and hygiene issues.
Here’s how you can help:
Contribute. Any amount is helpful.
Share with your friends. Use the social media buttons to
share this campaign with your friends and loved ones.
Help us – If you are in Kenya, come and spend the day with
us – learn about our operation and see first-hand what we are accomplishing. E-mail us: info@aidkenyafoundation.org
Donate – You can also send us books, clothing, sewing
supplies, soap, toothbrushes, anything would be helpful: Check Gifts of Love
Thank you, thank you for your help!
