“You, my Lord, are my hope” (Ps 71:5) was the theme of the 9th World Day of the Poor (16th November 2025) and in his message to the faithful Pope Leo XIV reminded us that “we cannot forget that we have been saved in this hope, in which we need to remain rooted”.

On the occasion of this year’s World Day of the Poor, the Embassy, led by the Chargé d´Affaires, Dr. De Paoli and his wife Marinella, assisted by members of the Companions of the Order in Kenya, distributed food parcels to 80 households residing in the Deep Sea informal settlement in Nairobi. This settlement remains a challenging environment characterized by overcrowding, poor sanitation, and a lack of basic services like clean water and toilets. Despite these hardships, residents continue to live and work, often in precarious conditions, while local and international organizations are engaged in efforts to provide support through initiatives like feeding programs, education, and life skills training. There have also been recent events, including ongoing legal challenges to local government actions and continued vulnerability to demolitions.

The day started with the celebration of Holy Mass at the Deep Sea Chapel of the Consolata Shrine Parish. The Chapel was bursting at the seams with resident families in attendance. Extra seating arrangements were organized outside at the entrance and the side of the chapel. The community children accompanied the celebration of the Eucharist with joyful songs and dance to the delight of the congregation. As always it is very touching to witness the extraordinary resilience end expression of hope of the needy people living and surviving in a community such as that of Deep Sea.