The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced $50 million to support Kenya’s response and recovery efforts to meet the immediate and longer-term challenges that COVID-19 is posing.

"The American people have always been generous to those in need around the world, and today Kenya is facing the compound challenges of COVID-19, flooding, and locusts.  We are focusing on ensuring resources get to the counties and communities, because Kenya’s communities are Kenya’s greatest asset in overcoming these challenges,” stated U.S. Ambassador Kyle L. McCarter.

Building on fifty-five years of partnership, and with the government and people of Kenya in the lead, USAID is implementing the following:

• About 1.5 billion Kenyan Shillings ($15 million) will be used to strengthen health and water systems and ensure effective communication and community engagement to ensure Kenyans are healthy.

• As people lose their livelihoods from stay at home orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it is equally critical to provide 2.8 billion Kenyan Shillings ($27.8 million) to ensure small businesses can stay afloat, the agribusiness sector can maintain an operational food supply chain, and short-term emergency food as well as longer-term food security. 

• Nearly 610 million Kenyan Shillings ($6,166,000) will ensure children keep learning to read through distance learning, young people gain jobs in emerging areas, and citizen-responsive governance helps mitigate possible conflict, violence, and civil unrest.

“U.S. funds directly benefit Kenyans. We partner with the Kenyan government, NGOs, civil society and local organizations and institutions to support the Kenyan people. The U.S. requires our partners to adhere to rigorous reporting requirements and standards,” stated USAID Mission Director Mark Meassick.

To date, more than 1,600 health workers have been trained in 35 counties; 272,000 Ministry of Health posters on the prevention and symptoms of COVID-19 were printed and distributed across 23 high-risk counties; personal protective equipment (PPE) was repurposed from the Ebola outbreak response to protect health care workers; labs are being provided diagnostic and capacity-building support to meet the ever-increasing testing demand; and three water service providers were assessed and contingency plans developed to increase the chances that their operations will not discontinue.