Covid-19 Poverty Monitor case studies

Kenya January 2021

Terry, Street food vendor, Nairobi

When we spoke to Terry in September while the country was still in lockdown, she was only able to afford one meal per day and her children were visiting neighbours to share meals. Lockdown measures abruptly halted her street food business as she was left without a supply of her main ingredient, potatoes. She was unable to travel around the city while maintaining social distancing in her wheelchair to sell food. Without an income, her family has been pushed further into poverty.

In January, Terry noted her situation had improved somewhat because most restrictions had been eased. She hopes to start a business of selling sweets in February 2021. She has no additional income as yet and depends on her sister for all her immediate needs. She explained that this situation has caused her to a great deal of stress. “[This situation has] caused my blood pressure to go up again. I feel like a burden. My sister is literally struggling to take care of me and my daughter but really there is nothing much I can do.”

Although schools reopened, her daughter had not yet returned to school. “I got a message from the school principal and she said that students should pay at least some cash before the students are allowed in. I feel I should not go and plead for my child to go back until I get some cash.” These demands are placing undue pressure on families such as Terry’s and are seriously undermining her children’s right to education.

Solomon, Cobbler, Nairobi

When we spoke to Solomon in September, a cobbler in Nairobi, he had reduced his meals to one per day, had difficulty paying his rent, and was unable to support his children at secondary school. He was also facing these difficulties alone as his family was unable to travel back to Nairobi due to the rising cost of transportation. When we spoke to Solomon in January, he noted that he had spent the holiday season alone as his wife opted to remain in the rural areas to fix the homestead and settle there. 

One of the biggest changes Solomon noted since we spoke to him in September is that the Covid-19 emergency stipend that he was receiving from the government came to an end in October. Samuel now relies entirely on his shoe repair business, which remains down.  Since the curfew hours were extended to 10 pm, Solomon reports being able to work longer in the evening hoping to earn business from those leaving work.

Solomon was happy that his children were back in school. He had observed that his children were tired of staying at home and missing out on school meals. He was able to pay part of their school fees from the savings he made from the Covid-19 stipend but this he says is not enough. The headteacher asked him to pay the little he has and look for the balance later. His first-born daughter will be sitting for her form four exams.