COVID-19

kageno’s response

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve. Kageno is taking a proactive approach to help ensure the safety of all community members. Our primary goal is to assure the safety of our team and the communities. Kageno is working closely with local authorities and healthcare entities to closely monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available. 

We feed over 5,000 children each day and for many of these children, it’s their only meal. With schools closed and both Kenya and Rwanda on lockdown, we have found creative ways to work with local officials and the Ministry of Health to keep our feeding programs open in limited capacity. In some locations where we cannot ensure smaller groups that are appropriately distanced, we are utilizing take-away food packages.

We have also launched a mass awareness campaign, teaching community members how they can protect themselves from COVID-19 by encouraging social distancing, proper hand washing and the use of locally made masks. 

Kageno started as a response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic that was decimating Rusinga Island in western Kenya in the 90s and early 2000s. There were few treatments available then and those that were, were unaffordable or unattainable for those living in the crushing poverty on Rusinga. The poor in developed countries like ours have safety nets, but there were none in these communities. Yet the people were resilient and eventually medication was developed and prices reduced. The communities survived then and will again now.

We have witnessed our communities at home becoming smaller as we all look out for each other and are hopeful that this compassion will spread to the global community as well.

Consider supporting Kageno. Thank you!