This December, I thought it best to look back into our communities as we approach the holiday season. Today, this episode highlights the economic impacts Covid 19 has had on schools, drug surges, and mental health impacts.

As of November 2020, the World Bank data shows that the COVID-19 pandemic pushed an estimated two million people into poverty in Kenya. The economic and social disruptions induced by the pandemic would be evident this year during form one student registrations at Njumbi High school. Njumbi High school is located in Murang’a county in Central Kenya, about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi. Fredrick Murage, the principal at the Anglican-sponsored school, says hundreds of parents could not raise fees.

Murang’a County Executive Committee member in charge of Health Joseph Mbai told Africa Climate Conversations that three people die every week due to substance abuse. Njumbi high school chaplain James Kabiru told the Africa Climate Conversations since last year, during the nine months covid-19 school break, the school has observed a surge in drug and substance abuse among students.