Monsoon Season
Reporting by Wendy Allyss. Edited by Will Law.
Monsoon Season
The rains are back with a vengeance in Kampala.
We may enjoy a good complaint with all our rain in the UK, but heavy rain in the slums carries a terrifying danger to life and livelihood.
Families fight against muddy, contaminated water flooding their homes.
Once water comes in, it destroys food, school books, and clothing. Not only is the flood water muddy, but it also carries water-borne diseases — posing a serious health threat.
There is also the risk of electrocution.
Makeshift electrical power sources are messily tacked together throughout the slums. Accidents are not unheard of as families work to lift cables out of the water’s reach.
For this reason, this is why…
All Karis families receive bunk beds. Possessions can be placed on top, in the hope they can remain safe and dry.
Many years ago, in partnership with Christ Church Winchester, we helped raise the foundation of St Nicholas Kalerwe, so there would be a safe, dry haven for families to seek shelter in.
Where possible, we try to move families out of the slums as part of our Finishing Well programme.
There is a lot to pray for here.
In your prayers remember our Karis families:
Pray for their protection as they slowly empty water from their homes.
Pray for systems to be put in place to alleviate this annual problem.
Pray for families attempting to relocate until the waters subside.
‘Red Eye’
In March, news of an outbreak of conjunctivitis in Kampala hit the headlines.
In Uganda they call this ‘red eye.’ We know it is highly contagious, painful and fast spreading. It was declared a national epidemic, hitting Kampala the hardest.
Some Karis families were affected.
Children suffering from the infection are required to remain at home until it is no longer infectious, which impacts their education. Carers with ‘red eye’ are not able to work. And this hinders their ability to earn income to support their family.
As a safety precaution, the KFLM team put in place some restrictions. Only uninfected carers were allowed to collect the monthly food and visit the office.
Medication is available in Kampala which involves adding drops to the infected eyes. But it is costly. Thankfully, the medical cards we give each Karis family covered the cost of treatment.
With the epidemic and the recent flooding, please hold our Karis families in your prayers. We also remember the Karis team, including the community mobilisers as they offer support and advice to our families.
Thankfully, the worst is over now and the epidemic seems to be on its way out.