They were left with the clothes on their backs. Everything that was in their houses including important documents like title deeds, birth certificates and academic certificates were gone.
In March 2023, a fire had broken out in Meru, Kenya, and 14 families’ homes were affected.
Since these homes were densely packed and made of light materials, the fire spread quickly. Neighbours rallied to stop it, but it could not be controlled. They tried to rescue what they could. The fire raged for three hours before the fire department could extinguish the flames.
Mary, a sponsored child at Chalice’s Meru site, watched her house light up in flames. She was scared and sad to see everything disappear in front of her. Her parents were casual laborers who earn a low wage. They worked hard for what they had, and now they had nothing. Mary knew her parents could not afford to replace their things.
The Meru site knew they had to do something, so they requested disaster relief support through Chalice.
Chalice has a disaster relief program in place for urgent assistance to help with natural disasters – like this one. Thanks to the generous support of the Meru fire disaster relief fund, the staff replaced the affected families’ beds and bedding, household supplies, clothing, food, and personal effects. They also covered rent for four months for all the affected families.
Mary and the others impacted by the fire felt blessed to have such generous support during this time. What a relief! These families were able to get back on their feet and rebuild their lives. Their prayers were answered. Meru site staff said, “The affected families were extremely happy to receive this great support.”
Our disaster relief fund helps families and communities rebuild in the aftermath of natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, or fires. Donations may also be used to provide water in the midst of a drought.
Learn more about our current disaster relief projects in Haiti and Ukraine. You can help support those who need urgent care. Visit chalice.ca/disaster-relief-project
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