Take action to put food first

HI WORLD BANK,

PUT FOOD FIRST

Am a Voluntary Community Social Worker in one of the Slums at the grassroots level in oustskirts of Nairobi City (Eastlands) for 13 yrs.

PUTTING FOOD FIRST IS A BRIGHT IDEA!!! WITH AN EMPTY STOMACH ECONOMY OF ANY COUNTRY WILL NOT BE PERFECT.

I assure you that majority of families go without food for days. People mistake them that they go hungry due to laziness but it is not true. Women are the most affected because they are the ones who toil to feed their own families (children). They wake up very early go nearby middle class Community knocking door to door for employment i.e washing Clothes they get Kshs. 200. others Kshs 100. Take for instance the case of Mweni who is somehow retarded she asks for Kshs. 50/. Some people take advantage of her situation and exploit her in the evening she is paid Kshs. 50/. Others boil maize and Beans (githeri) beans, green peas etc and sell to other neighbours who find it cheaper 1/2 a litre cup is sold at 10/=.

MEASURES TO BE TAKEN TO SOLVE FOOD SCARCITY IN POOR FAMILIES:

The idea of INFORMAL SECTOR to loan the poor, 1. START-UP BUSINESS, 2. those who roast maize by the roadside. 3 The green grocers on the road side others with small Kiosks. The Young drop-outs girls in primary Schools who give birth & boys from school who have no money to be given either that Loan without condition but they should be in groups whereby they sign for one another as guaranters.

* Though the money belongs to the Govenment of Kenya Its unfortunate that the Banks that were entrusted the money to loan out the Community are further complicating issues.

I suggest that the Government Ministry of Finance be the Custodian of the Money from Ministry of Financed launched by Hon. Uhuru.

Those who are filling in Loan forms to the Community( i am helping in filling the loan forms in my Community) should work together with the Ministry Officials and the Community loan money, should be channeled through their bank accounts by the Officials of the Ministry Headquarters just as they pay salary to their employees. Majority do not have Bank Accounts so the Government should open for them and money be deducted from their loan.

This way, the poor Community who sleep hungry will be able to start their own small business and the grace period of six months that the Government has put on the loan money by the time they start repaying would take them far.

Now that the banks are not taking the Goverment serious and it seems the money will not reach to the Grassroots (the poor) i suggest that:

The World Bank help to get Grants for those who are in the Slums and Medium class through Registered Community Groups and give them money for Start up Business. Majority of drop-outs girls who give birth while looking for money to buy food will be able to train themselves on Dressmaking, Saloon, Cake making etc..

The method of planting Sukuma Wiki in a Sack (soil manure filled in a sack and sukuma and spinach planted) would very much help the poor because if they plant in big quantities. That will be the end of going to the market to buy sukuma & spinach. They would even sell to get money to buy kerosene for cooking and other household items.

So, they should contact the Group Chairpersons and the elders of the Community even Churches though some churches might discriminate to identify the most vulnerable families.

Some cases are so miserable, with retarded families either mother or father or children who die due to hunger (poverty)

N.B. Area MPs, Councilors, Chiefs should not be trusted with grants, Community money the money never reach the poor ( needy) even food. At times, when the relief food is given by the government for the poor very few benefit. I have witnessed, whenever i go to borrow for the needy, they hardly get.

HOPE THIS CONTRIBUTION WILL HELP THE WORLD BANK GROUP TO IDENTIFY SOME ISSUES WHICH OPPRESS THE POOR MOST

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