Kenya: Solidarity with families that lost everything

In the ELCK Lake Diocese where 600 displaced families were temporarily sheltered at Ombaka Primary School, the church’s personnel distributed clothing, beddings, food, medication and other basic items, with support from The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Communion Solidarity Fund. The LWF established the fund in 2022 to encourage church-to-church solidarity to facilitate rapid response by churches when disaster occurs.

We have tried with our limited resources, but the needs are still overwhelming

Archbishop Dr Joseph Ochola Omolo, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya

“We have tried with our limited resources, but the needs are still overwhelming,” Archbishop Omolo said. The ELCK’s emergency disaster response initiative with LWF’s support will run until August. The church distributed emergency relief supplies to the most vulnerable families and continues to accompany them to rebuild their homes and livelihoods. This includes shelters for elderly widows whose houses were swept away by floods in the Lake Diocese, in the Central Eastern and North West Dioceses.

Spiritual accompaniment is part of the overall emergency response: praying with the affected and providing psychosocial support. During a visit and prayer service at the Ombaka camp, Bishop Titus Okoda conducted baptism.

Some of the dioceses are in regions where malaria is prevalent. The emergency response factored in distribution of mosquito nets to the most vulnerable families, including those sheltering at displaced people’s camp. The church personnel also worked with the county medical teams to ensure treatment for the sick as access to health care is disrupted when people are displaced.

“Although some of the families have started going back to their homes, a larger number are still expected to remain in the camp for nearly two months,” ELCK General Secretary Rev. Andrew Ngeiywa added.

The ELCK has 300,000 members in nine dioceses across Kenya.