Like most countries of the world, the COVID 19 pandemic is affecting Kenya, though it has not spread as widely there (yet?) as in the UK. People are advised not to travel, but children are still going to school. Maseno is far from the main cities, with a fairly static rural community, so it is less endangered by the virus. However, local health facilities are very basic, there is no NHS, and all hospital care is very expensive. (3 weeks in Intensive Care costs the patient’s family around £25,000 which is over 10 years’ income for most people). So we continue to be concerned for the health and well-being of the children and the staff at the Julius and Dora (J&D) Children’s Centre during the pandemic.

At the J&D Children’s Centre we now have 32 children, around half of whom have been ‘dumped’ on us without consultation over the past 18 months by the Government who are closing many inadequate orphanages. Many of these orphans had been abused and were traumatized, but it is wonderful to see how they are now responding very positively to love and care.

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