As early as 7:00am the school day begins and it’s a common site to see kids walking in different directions heading towards the schools they attend. It’s a nice view of different school uniforms making a network of movement as they hurry to school. The lucky ones are picked up by private school buses.
Majority brave the biting cold and running noses is a common site. With the small bags lodged on their backs they are ready for another day in school. The bags have a pencil, some colours and exercise book. During rainy seasons the situation is worse as they trample on the mud filled footpaths.
A parent once told me that “…at least I am happy I can leave the child by the gate as I go to hustle, I am sure the child will be well fed and safe”. This is echoed by majority of parents whose children attend Kongoni ECDE.
Some children arrive at school a little bit later due to different issues; some include social domestic problems the previous night, parental negligence or low energy due to hunger. On keen scrutiny one realizes that when children arrive at school, they look dull and sad but when the bell goes and its time to line up for porridge the kids are pushing and pulling each other as they line up to get served first. Then after the meals and the school day has ended one notices the jovial children, fully energetic, playful and interacting freely as they bid the school staff goodbye and head home.
Kongoni catchment area is approximately 1,5 kilometers in radius. There are many schools both private and public which accommodate the children who miss a space in kongoni. This year the organization was able to provide two new classrooms in Timau Primary school which is the main public school. This reduced the distance to the next available school for first learners. Parents are free to take children to the school of their choice depending on their social-economic status and preferences.
The school kitchen is one of the biggest attractions for learners. An assurance of a healthy daily meal continues to be a challenge in the country especially in areas like Kongoni where daily income for parents is never guaranteed. This is proved by the fact that the daily attendance of learners is over 95% on average. Provision of food remains a dream in many families and is a cause of chronic absenteeism in schools. Our media has it that 1 in 3 people in Kenya sleep hungry. Kongoni school feeding programme has been a saviour in this situation. The meals prepared are healthy and enough for the kids.
Climate change coupled with high cost of food production, informal farming and inefficient food supply chain has rendered families to become beggars, with lost hopes for growing food left, it’s a common sight in the market place and the small town to see adults and children asking for food. The weather extremes have had impacts on prolonged droughts, scarcity of water, death of animals and humans (none recorded in this area but in the neighbouring regions. Approximately 30kms northwards). Farming has been devastated while some schools have closed.
It’s a known that food takes 50-60% of average African disposable income because of broken food supply chain systems. This makes it very difficult for economies to modernize. And could they when you still have a significant amount of money going to very basic things like feeding yourself ?.
I am glad that we all are privileged to put our best foot forward and chip in our efforts. The major global problems include hunger, environment destruction, unemployment and natural catastrophes. These problems cannot be solved at one but a good start in education can help give more knowledge, more understanding which would lead to anticipated hope and mitigate implications. Through the organization, and your support as donors, a step towards this issue has been on course.
Below is a caption from one of the daily newspapers (Nation Newspaper Sunday 6th November 2022) featuring the impact of drought on children.
The devastated land may take time to heal and yield a good harvest even when the weather conditions improve. As the Arctic Circle ice continues to melt causing unbalanced weather patterns, the ice in our snow-capped mountain continue to melt, this loss is leading to reduced water volumes in the rivers which are eventually drying. Understanding climate change would be a good lesson to people in Kongoni and the community at large.
The efforts and dedication of our donors cannot be underrated, you have influenced a lot, and it is an understatement to say ‘thank you’. You have kept the programme afloat of which without your input the situation would have been different. The support cannot be quantified in terms of value as it supersedes what words can express. The energy and smiles of contented kids at school tell it all. We don’t take it for granted that you chose to have us in your budget. In a nutshell the organization has helped to cushion on the families’ extra expenses of feeding their children during school days and this saves in food expenditure.
Though often considered as the father of modern capitalism Adam Smith the Scottish philosopher once said “To feel much for others and little for ourselves; to restrain our selfishness and exercise our benevolent affections, constitute the perfection of human nature” this has been your spirit in this journey.
As the year ends, we wish you well in the festive season hoping you will find us worth to continue having this unwavering support.
Francis
Project Manager