A security guard in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County became a local hero after he began donating essential food items to individuals and households during the Covid-19 pandemic.
While questions were raised on his sources of funding, Paul Mbeta revealed on Wednesday, June 3 that his own salary had been slashed due to the pandemic, noting that he was only giving back to reduce the suffering witnessed in his local community.
Paul donated several bales of flour as well as sugar and bottles of cooking oil to his neighbors, determined to make a difference.
"I'm a guard with Rally Falcon, to be honest I've just decided to do this as a way of fighting Corona in my own way, by helping people.
"I've decided to help my peers. Despite the size of my salary, I decided to do this to help sustain us in this period as we look at how we can continue working," he stated.
He told reporters on Wednesday, June 3 that he considered himself lucky to still have a job, explaining that many of his peers in the informal sector and those running small businesses had lost their sources of income entirely.
"There were a lot of people here depending on small businesses. There were women who used to travel to Uganda to buy bananas which they sold here.
"Their businesses ended abruptly and the little savings they had are being depleted, so the women are really suffering. To be honest, I don't like to see anyone suffering in any way, so I decided to do this despite my limitations," Paull revealed.
The security guard highlighted the plight he was witnessing around him, noting that over 2,000 residents in the area were struggling to make ends meet.
"I'd ask people to understand that I could not help everyone but want to ask them to accept the little I've brought and God will bless us," he stated.
At least twenty five families benefited from Paul's donation, with each getting a 2-kilogram packet of maize flour and a 1-kilogram packet of sugar.
He stated that he hoped his efforts would show other Kenyans that they needed to unite to fight the pandemic as it had affected everyone in one way or another.
"This pandemic has hit us all, and the people we live with have really been affected. So, if you have a little and you're able to help, don't let your neighbor suffer," he asserted.
The guard was hailed by area residents for offering them a helping hand at a time when many are struggling to get by due to the economic shocks occasioned by the pandemic.
Watch Paul's interview below:
