Tears of joy engulfed the elderly at Alms ‘Nyumba ya wazee’ located at Tudor in Mombasa when the Kenya Red Cross Society, Mombasa branch made a surprise visit.
Led by the Kenya Red Cross Society, Mombasa branch welfare Officer Mr. Rafik Rauf, the volunteers cleaned all the dormitories and beddings of the elderly and sprayed disinfectants.
According to Mr. Rauf most of the beddings were dirty and with bedbugs but received a thorough cleaning.
The team later prepared chicken Pilau for Christmas celebrations where they joined the elderly for the feast.
“This is what Christmas means to the Kenya Red Cross Society and volunteers, we have been conducting such visits every Christmas season and we will carry on with our call of helping the needy and the poor through humanitarian aid,” he revealed.
[Kenya Red Cross Mombasa branch staff and volunteers serve food at ‘Nyumba ya wazee’ during Christmas day. Photo/Rafik Rauf]
Meanwhile the humanitarian organisation also shared Christmas celebrations with street children at ‘Maboxini’ area within Mombasa.
Mr. Rauf said that it has been the norm for the Kenya Red Cross Society Mombasa branch to meet and share food with the street children and the less fortunate in the society.
“However we have long term plans to uplift the living standards of the street children, we are rolling out free English classes for them as well as enabling them access free medical services in public hospitals,” he said.
Other long term programs the Kenya Red Cross Mombasa branch is planning are to offer vocational and skills training and helping them to engage in garbage collection as a source of income.
[Street children receiving food from Kenya Red Cross Society staff and volunteers. Photo/ Rafik Rauf]
However, Mr. Rauf appealed to well wishers and other donors to help the humanitarian aid in accomplishing its 2019 goals on alleviating human suffering especially to the elderly and street children in Mombasa.
