Proposed benevolence: support after a death Carrying each other through loss, the right way.

1. Where things stand

Members have asked whether Wakenyatbay will run a benevolence fund. Before anyone pays in a dollar, we want to get it right: fair to families, open about the money, and within Ontario law. This page is the starting point for that conversation.

2. How families are helped today

When a Kenyan dies in Canada, the family or a funeral committee usually raises the money, one death at a time:

• a WhatsApp harambee;
• e-transfers to one person;
• church fundraisers;
• an online appeal.

Taking a loved one home to Kenya often costs $10,000 or more. Families should also claim the CPP death benefit if the person paid into the Canada Pension Plan.

Sources: appeals published on WakenyaCanada; Surrey Now-Leader (2016)

3. What other Kenyan groups in Canada do

• A members' fund: Abeingo Association Canada (Ontario) publishes a benevolent fund for members, with monthly contributions, a waiting period before you can claim, and set amounts by family relationship.
• A committee: the Kenyan Community in BC has a benevolence committee that helps families return the deceased home. The Kenyan Calgary Association lists a welfare fund for members.
• Nothing formal: most associations we checked have no fund, and help case by case.

Each association's own website, checked October 25, 2026. We describe what they publish; we don't rate them.

4. What other diaspora communities do

• Ethiopian "edir": a burial association where every member pays when someone dies. Hibret Edir in Los Angeles asks each member for $105 per death and pays the family $10,000. It works because the amount is fixed, but a promised amount is exactly what Ontario law treats as insurance.
• Filipino "damayan" (helping each other): the Filipino-Canadian Association of Brantford offers "comfort and compassionate care" to bereaved families, with no fees and no payout. Support is presence and practical help.
• Kenyan groups using real insurers: some diaspora groups now offer cover through licensed insurance companies instead of running a fund themselves, such as KUPA with UAP Old Mutual funeral cover (2021).

Each group's own page or the news report linked, checked October 25, 2026.

5. Why we're being careful

Ontario's Insurance Act says that a club, society or association, incorporated or not, that collects money from its members and pays benefits when members die "shall be deemed to be an insurer". Insurers need a licence.

So a standing fund, where members pay in and a set amount is paid out on a death, could be treated as insurance. We will not start one without a lawyer's advice.

Source: Insurance Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. I.8, s. 39(3). This is general information, not legal advice.

6. What we propose

1. Now: keep the When someone dies guide and the urgent help line up to date, and help families get organized.
2. Now: share verified, family-run appeals with the community (see below). The money goes straight to the family's own appeal, never through Wakenyatbay.
3. Next: look into funeral and repatriation insurance that members can buy for themselves or as a group from a licensed insurer, and share plain facts about it.
4. Later, only if members want it: a members' benevolence fund, but only after written legal advice, clear rules on paper, a separate bank account with two signers, and a vote of members.

7. How shared appeals would work

• The family, or someone they name, runs the appeal: an online fundraiser such as GoFundMe or M-Changa, or a named treasurer.
• Before we share it, we confirm with the family and check the death notice or funeral home.
• We post the appeal with the family's own link. We don't collect, hold or pass on any money.
• Giving is always voluntary, in any amount you choose, including nothing. Whether we share an appeal is decided case by case.

Each shared appeal will carry this note: "We're sharing this appeal at the family's request. Wakenyatbay didn't create it, doesn't manage it and never sees the money, so we can't confirm how it will be used. Please check with the organiser or the family before you give."

8. Have your say

Would you join a benevolence fund? How much could you put in each month, and who should it cover: members only, spouses and children, parents in Kenya? Tell us. We'll share what we hear before anything is decided.

Tell us what you think

Quick answers

Does Wakenyatbay have a benevolence fund?

No. This page is a proposal for members to discuss. Wakenyatbay does not run an insurance plan, a death-benefit fund or a savings pool, does not collect or hold money, and no one becomes entitled to any payment by joining or attending.

Why doesn't Wakenyatbay just start a fund?

Ontario's Insurance Act says a club or association that collects money from its members and pays benefits when members die is deemed to be an insurer, and insurers need a licence. So we won't start a standing fund without a lawyer's advice and a vote of members.

How can I help a Kenyan family after a death in Thunder Bay?

Give directly to the family's own appeal, such as an online fundraiser or a treasurer they name. We plan to share appeals after confirming them with the family, but the money never goes through Wakenyatbay. Give only to appeals you trust.

Wakenyatbay is a volunteer community group. This page is a proposal for discussion. It is not insurance, it promises no benefit, and Wakenyatbay holds no money for anyone.

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