Funeral expense challenges; Are WhatsApp groups, the solution to the problem?

Many Kenyans have been added or have added friends and relatives to a WhatsApp group to raise funds to cover funeral expenses.

This expenses mostly entail.

1. Cost of offsetting medical bills before a loved one dies
2. Cost of transporting the deceased body and bereaved family to burry a loved one
3. Cost of giving a loved one a decent send off this includes; fancy clothes, fancy coffin, an expensive funeral home and not forgetting the best hearse services.
4. The cost of food and refreshment for the mourners.

Most of the funds raised on WhatsApp groups are usually consumed on the day the deceased is laid to rest. The family is left with nothing to restart their lives, especially when he or she was a bread winner. the family therefore resigns to poverty immediately.

Fundraising for the dead is easier than for education or to meet medical expenses when one is still alive. This has become the norm and many have embraced it even when it is not necessary to do so. An African saying goes, one cannot hold a ceremony for oneself without contribution from the community and friends. It is a good thing because of the social bonding that comes with it. We need to find other solutions available to sort out these expenses.

Insurance companies have come up with various Last expense solutions, the major problem is that many are not aware of them or are ignorant. In the Bible-Hosea 4:6 states that “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”. Truly many are perishing and will perish if they cannot embrace the last expense solutions provided by insurance companies.

With the current financial constrains brought about by covid-19, adding or being added to a WhatsApp group to raise funeral expenses adds an extra cost constrain, therefore we need to embrace the Last expense solution provided by insurance companies

Here are a few examples of last expense solutions available.