Heart of Giving amid Corona Crisis.
By Caroline Njiru
The Rotary Club of Kitengela members last week donated food hampers, masks, and sanitizers to the inhabitants of Mombasa Raha informal settlements in Kitengela.
The food drive led by the club projects director Patrick Wanjohi saw 150 families receive food supplies for their families. According to Wanjohi, the residents were former workers at the neighbouring flower farms who were struggling to make ends meet after being laid off. This was as a result of the industry being negatively affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking after the food drive, Wanjohi said that this was only the beginning of the club’s response and that the intention was to reach more families including a children’s home in the near future.
Wanjohi, a career water engineer has worked extensively around the country offering water solutions, including borehole-drilling services through his company Aqua Max Solutions. As a result, he has interacted with communities adversely affected by hunger and lack of water and seen the joy it brings when they finally receive it.
This, coupled with having first instruction experience of what it means to lack as a result of his humble background, serves as motivation for him to serve in Rotary.
Serving the community as the projects’ director of the club has been very involving for Wanjohi and fortunately, equally rewarding. He cites the support of his wife Anastasia Muthoni, a fellow Rotarian, as fundamental in enabling his service to the community. He firmly believes in the ideal that you do not need to have a lot in order to share with those less fortunate.
Dr. Patrisio Njeru, the President of the Rotary Club of Kitengela agrees. He adds that it is the heart of servitude like that of Wanjohi that enables a lasting impact on the community. He further adds that Rotary clubs can only accomplish their goals to serve humanity when members get directly involved. Dr. Njeru praised his club members who have pulled together as a team to serve the community at a time that even they, may be reeling from the effects of the pandemic. The club is currently organizing a series of projects to help those who are worst hit.
