...helping feed all the families of Kipsongo!
The global pandemic has affected everyone worldwide in some way. It feels surreal to even write those words! Everyone - Worldwide - Affected!
Those living in the 3rd world - in the grip of poverty have been not just been affected by it, they have been devastated! Most rely on "day jobs" to earn a day's wage (less than $2), to buy a day's food. Can you imagine the impact a national shut down and a strictly enforced curfew has had on those communities?
Mighty Acorn Foundation has worked with amazing Kenyan partners for the last eight years. We have spent time in Kitale - in its largest slum, Kipsongo. We've met many of those families. Most of our Mighty Acorn kids, you help us sponsor, are from there and they still have family living within the slum. As the COVID shutdown drug on in Kenya our partners knew they had to do something. They reached out to us and we reached out to you.
The thought of raising close to $40,000 during a global pandemic seemed pretty daunting! Your response was so amazing! We are so grateful! We've been able to send funding to our partners in Kenya for two full weeks of food. That doesn't sound like much in the light of a three month shutdown, but it has made all the difference in the world for these families. One week of stables, like lentils, maze, rice and cooking oil can stretch much longer than a week.
When our kids found out what was going on with the families of Kipsongo - they wanted their hands in on it too!
Community service projects have become a big part of our kids lives at Seed's. Their hearts to give back and help others, just like they've been helped, is incredible!
It took a little extra effort and sending the food supplies about 40 minutes the wrong direction, but Pastor Richard and Hellen knew it would mean so much to the kids to be able to help. It was an all-hands-on-deck project and they made fast work of packing almost 400 bags that day.The next day all those bags were picked up and taken to a distribution spot that was safe and just inside Kipsongo slum.
Mum Hellen said the people were so grateful for the food, everyone was orderly and patient as the food was handed out. Several told stories of not having any food for several weeks, surviving only on water, and afraid, because they didn't have any idea when or how they would get another meal.
Thank you everyone that had a hand involved in anyway to help feed the families of Kipsongo! All of us - you, our partners, Hellen and Richard, and our kids at Seed's - all had a hand in accomplishing something pretty amazing!
THANK YOU!
"Never double that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change
the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
Margaret Mead