Kenyans from the Majengo slum area in the capital Nairobi returned home with smiles on their faces after the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) gave them food aid on Wednesday.
Over 100 households benefitted from the aid, which included five liters of cooking oil, beans, rice, sugar and maize flour all packaged in five-kilogram (11-pound) bags that were handed out by Turkish Ambassador Deniz Eke and TIKA Coordinator Emre Yuksek at the Riyadha Mosque.
Amina Lela, a mother of three, told Anadolu Agency the food donation came at an opportune time.
"My husband was injured, he is the only breadwinner and we have been told he will stay at home for two weeks; the food that we have received here will push through Ramadan as we celebrate, may Allah bless the people of Turkey for their kindness," Lela said.
The Majengo slums are located 3 kilometers (around 2 miles) from the capital's Central Business District in Pumwani area. Talking to the slum dwellers, the ambassador lauded the women for working hard to feed their families in a region where most women are heads of their families.
"You [the women who had gathered to receive the food donation] are supporting and sustaining households all by yourselves, you are very special people and you are very powerful ladies, today's donation comes from the Turkish people to you for Ramadan," Eke said.
Yuksek told Anadolu Agency TIKA had arranged iftar programs across the capital.
"We are here to share the spirit of Ramadan with our brothers and sisters, we offered food aid; as you know East Africa is suffering from drought; in urban areas the prices of food have gone up, TIKA and its staff have extended help to people providing food aid to people here…mostly women headed households, orphans, and disabled persons," he added.
