Hundreds of learners in public schools in Naivasha who resumed classes last month do not have face masks and soap for washing hands.
The most affected are students from the sprawling Kihoto estate, which has been flooded by Lake Naivasha displacing more than 4,000 families.
This was revealed when local leaders donated face masks and soap to eight public schools in Lakeview ward.
Youth leader Dennis Chege said the current situation had been worsened by high poverty levels in the informal settlement and a surge in positive cases in Nakuru county.
He said the pandemic had left many parents jobless, making it near impossible to buy food and masks.
“We are concerned by the high number of students in primary and secondary schools in Naivasha who do not have masks, despite the increasing Covid-19 cases,” Chege said.
He was speaking after donating over 4,000 face masks to students at Milimani Primary School. The institution is one of the largest in the town with a population of more than 4,000 students.
“We have launched a campaign to supply face masks to all public schools in Lakeview ward as a way of assisting parents who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic,” Chege said.
Teacher Daniel Marala admitted that many students from the informal settlement had challenges in getting face masks.
He said the lot supplied by the government had been exhausted, forcing them to rely on donors to assist them.
“Currently we have close to 1,000 students in Grade 4 and Standard 8, most of whom do not have masks,” Marala said.
He also said that social distancing was a challenge at the school due to its high population.
Student Esther Njeri said they are forced to recycle masks because parents cannot afford to buy new ones every day. She thanked the leaders for the donations.