KENYA: ONE YEAR AFTER THE NAIROBI BOMB KILLED OVER 240 PEOPLE, THE KENYA RED CROSS IS CHANGING ITS SUPPORT FROM FOOD TO VOCATIONAL TRAINING

Record ID: 358234

  • Title: KENYA: ONE YEAR AFTER THE NAIROBI BOMB KILLED OVER 240 PEOPLE, THE KENYA RED CROSS IS CHANGING ITS SUPPORT FROM FOOD TO VOCATIONAL TRAINING
  • Date: 6th August 1999
  • Summary: NAIROBI, KENYA (AUGUST 5, 1999) (REUTERS) 1. SLV/SV/CU VARIOUS OF FOOD DISTRIBUTION QUEUE AT THE RED CROSS CENTRE (16 SHOTS) 1.48 2. MCU (English) KENYA RED CROSS MENTAL HEALTH OUTREACH CO-ORDINATOR ANTHONY GITAHI SAYING: "We have a change of programmes that are coming up, because we have an education programme and also a mental health programme. We
  • Embargoed: 21st August 1999 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NAIROBI, KENYA
  • Country: Kenya
  • Reuters ID: LVAATEYX3EK9CS46K3CEMWTB9CKA
  • Story Text: One year after the Nairobi bomb killed over 240
    people, the Kenya Red Cross is changing its support for
    survivors and their families from supplementary food donations
    to education and health.

    The second to last hand-out of supplementary food to
    the survivors and families of victims of the August 7th, 1998
    Nairobi bomb was distributed on Thursday (August 5).The last
    food distribution takes place on August 19, when the Kenya Red
    Cross changing its emphasis from food to vocational training.

    The monthly rations of three bales of maize meal flour,
    four litres of oil and sometimes beans, are provided by ECHO -
    The European Community Humanitarian Organisation.

    More than 270 families have been fed since the Red Cross
    began distributing the rations in November of last year.

    The change in strategy is an attempt to give the victims
    skills with which they can help themselves.

    The Kenya Red Cross Mental Health Outreach Co-ordinator,
    Anthony Gitahi explained the transition: "We have a change of
    programmes that are coming up, because we have an education
    programme and also a mental health programme.We realise that
    food was supposed to be a mid-gap to assist the families to be
    able to cope."
    There was understanding amongst some of the survivors that
    this was a necessary next step towards their rehabilitation.

    One of the blast survivors, Edmond Ikutwa, said that "As a
    whole lot of survivors and bereaved, we need now to be assured
    of these things - long term disaster management."
    Even though the food is running out, the goodwill shown so
    far has been appreciated, Edmond Ikutwa said on behalf of the
    survivors.

    "Of course we are grateful," Ikutwa said."You know you
    can't force people to help you - force or compel people.They
    help you when they can and when they want.How they can and
    when they want to help you.So we are grateful and that's the
    big message we're saying.We're saying thank you Kenya, thank
    you the world."
    A year after the bomb changed the lives of thousands of
    people, some are on the way to recovery, but for others food
    remains a basic necessity.

    Leonida Oumolang'o, sister of a blast victim, saying: "God
    knows what He'll do.This was my only brother and he was
    helping our mother.Now if they stop giving us food, God knows
    how our mother will eat.
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