Kenya: Creative projects underway at school under lockdown

The work of our hands!

Fr Denis Odongo, Director of St Joseph Primary School, Nariokotome, in Turkana, northwest Kenya, writes:

Since the government ordered schools to close in March as a measure to contain Covid-19, our teachers and workers have been getting half of their usual income.

The reality of the effects of the pandemic got me thinking on how to keep the teachers and the workers afloat.

In April we began doing agriculture with an aim of making it an income generating activity for the school. Together with some of our workers and some young men of our Missionary Community we planted horticultural crops including kales, spinach, onions, water melons, okra and local vegetables.

We also began a poultry project with 20 chicks at the moment.

We plan to sell the produce in the surrounding villages, to raise some income for the school and also improve the diet of the children when the schools reopen. Their diet generally lacks sufficient fruits and vegetables which are an important source of vitamins.

Corona virus has come to teach us to diversify our sources of income and be creative!

The mission is supported by New Ways - a UK-based charity run entire by volunteers in several London parishes. If you would like to support their work see: www.justgiving.com/campaign/covid19Turkana