Self Help Groups and Covid-19
Over the years, Women Chama’s have always been treasured. Most believe it is still a safer place to belong since most share experiences and exchange ideas in various aspects of life. It is always a saving strategy to borrow a loan and repay it after a certain period. Others do agricultural projects together, e.g., chicken rearing, encourage others to have “dero” for food security purposes. This has always given mothers an upper hand whenever they are in need.
Since the COVID-19 virus emerged, everything has turned upside down due to the MOH guidelines. Talk of curfews, social distance, and the school closed, etc. Most business ventures were closed, and people were forced to stay at home. This affects the cash flow, and now most people lack money to pay Chama’s due to prioritization. Hence, most Chama break, and now members disappear.
With the reduction of COVID-19 cases, most people assume that coronavirus has ended, thus forgetting to stick by the guidelines. This puts them at a risk of being infected, which is dangerous. Sharing a table with Caregivers within Bungoma County, we noticed most of them had been affected directly. It is during this session that I noticed a daughter of one who was still a candidate had been influenced by her peer to go to Nairobi to look for a job. While there, she was infected by COVID-19. Though a shock, it triggers them that the virus is there.
Bungoma County is one of those counties that is food secure; just in the same discussion, I noticed that the majority of them have kitchen gardens; hence vegetables are there in plenty. We reminded each other of the importance of having a balanced diet and a healthy living.
