In the Soweto slum of Nairobi, volunteers are making soap from vegetables.
The goal is to provide soap for residents to wash their hands and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
About 86% of Kenyans find it hard to access soap and running water each day, according to a UNICEF report last year.
That includes most of Soweto’s more than 70,000 residents, among them Peter Maina.
“Right now, the economy is high,” Peter said. “The little I get is for feeding the family. Will I buy soap or provide for my children?”
For people like Maina, Kenyan charities such as the Tulinde child trust are filling the gap. The organization’s director, Noel Khatushi, says the poverty levels in the slums are derailing the fight against the coronavirus.