As part of the emergency project funded by the Tzu Chi Foundation, on July 10, 2024, CADIS Kenya conducted a food distribution activity in the Mathare slums, where a total of 140 selected families received assistance. This was the second batch of food distribution in Mathare. The first was conducted on June 28, 2024 to help 42 families.
The beneficiaries from the Mathare slum were selected among families affected by the flood, with particular attention to people with disabilities, women with children, and vulnerable people affected by the flood.
CADIS Kenya informed the selected beneficiaries of the distribution in advance to facilitate the operation.
The meeting began with a prayer from one of the beneficiaries, followed by the introduction of the CADIS team and the reading of letters from the founder of the Tzu Chi Foundation, Master Cheng Yen, and from CADIS, which restored hope and encouraged individuals, assuring them that they are united in this.
The food distributed included 10 kg of rice, 10 kg of beans, 2 kg of sugar, 4 kg of maize flour, and 3 liters of cooking oil. Afterwards, the entire project team held a debriefing meeting to assess and share the challenges, results, and lessons learned from the day's activities.
Despite the CADIS team's difficulty in reaching the designated distribution site on time due to heavy traffic, operations went according to schedule.
The delay attracted people who were not among the food beneficiaries. The team managed to control the crowd for a while, as the church compound was fenced.
This is a lesson for future projects, which plan to have extra food, so as to help with small amounts of food others present who are not on the lists at the end of operations for the selected beneficiaries. We realized that when resources are scarce, people tend to fight for what is available.
The victims of Mathare appreciated the donations from the Tzu Chi Foundation and CADIS. The next step will be to carry out home visits to all beneficiaries. So far, the relief activity program has been successful and coordination is bearing fruit.
A big appreciation to the entire Tzu Chi Foundation team, to the top management and the Founder for the trust placed in us as collaborators in serving the most vulnerable in society; to CADIS International for offering us guidance and direction at all times and to the CADIS Kenya team and our beneficiaries who act as partners in this project.
