At least 1,500 vulnerable families in Sirende Ward, Kiminini Sub-County, are set to benefit from a donation of blankets by the County Government in a bid to cushion them from the harsh weather conditions experienced during the July to September cold season. The initiative, undertaken annually under the ward-specific funds, aims to protect vulnerable members of the community from contracting respiratory ailments.
During a distribution exercise held at Sirende Market, over 500 beneficiaries from Wehoya, Sabwani, Mutongorio, Toro, Kimoson, and Kaptien villages received blankets. The area Member of County Assembly (MCA), Alfred Weswa, disclosed that the program specifically targets widows, the elderly, Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs), and the most vulnerable members of the community.
Weswa, in collaboration with Community Health Promoters (CHPs) in the villages, identified potential beneficiaries. He praised the county executive for making the exercise successful and highlighted the discovery that many elderly people, aged between 80 and 100 years, are living in abject poverty, neglected by their kin, and struggling to fend for themselves.
Statistics indicate that most caregivers for the elderly have migrated to urban centers in search of jobs, leaving the elders without adequate support. However, Weswa reassured the community that the government would continue providing necessary assistance to improve their quality of life and ensure they live with dignity in their old age.
“The National Government has been advancing a stipend of Kes 2,000 to the elderly every month, and the county administration has decided to supplement this with additional support, including economic empowerment activities such as the donation of chicks for rearing,” said Weswa.
The Sirende MCA noted that this financial year, the blanket distribution exercise aims to reach more than 1,500 individuals. However, with new data from Community Health Volunteers (CHVs), there has been a significant increase in the number of elderly persons, PWDs, and other vulnerable members of society. Weswa pledged to advocate for increased funding for such initiatives in future budget-making processes to assist more needy community members.
Area ward administrators and county representatives who accompanied the MCA echoed his sentiments and confirmed that the exercise would continue next week in Machungwa, Musemwa, Lumuli, and Bikeke villages. They also cautioned beneficiaries against selling the donated items, warning that those found doing so would face strict actions, including being blacklisted from other government empowerment programs.
