Kenyan School Porridge Clubs Update
Since Kenyan schools fully reopened on 4th January 2021 from their almost 10-month Coronavirus closure, re-enrolment in schools supported by African Children’s Fund stands at over 90% with that number expected to rise in the coming weeks as confidence in schools’ Covid-19 measures increases.
Our long-term Kenyan partner, Watoto Kwanza, has reported a staggering increase in hunger among returning pupils with over 60% displaying signs of malnutrition. With schools closed, children were unable to rely on their daily porridge meals from school Porridge Clubs which are often subsidised with lunches using produce grown in school vegetable gardens.
To combat this, Watoto Kwanza is fortifying the daily mugs of porridge provided through school Porridge Clubs with amaranth and ground nuts to enhance its nutritional value, and to provide extra strength to children suffering the effects of malnutrition.
The combination of the additional porridge ingredients and several years of inflationary price increases means each mug of porridge now costs around 9p (€0.10; $0.12).
Of course, the huge benefits of school Porridge Clubs remain: not only does a daily mug of porridge mean a child is far more likely to attend school rather than having to work, scavenge or beg for food on the streets, they also learn better when they’re there.
Porridge Clubs lead to excellent levels of school attendance, increased primary school enrolment, improved examination results and consequential higher second school enrolment. The skills and qualifications gained through education gives each child the chance to improve their lives and move out of poverty.
And as we’ve said before, school is about more than education.
School encourages creativity through play.
School develops a child’s life skills – including lessons on personal hygiene, HIV awareness and children’s rights.
School teaches children how to build relationships with their peers and adults.
School provides a safe haven for those at risk of abuse and exploitation.
School enables a child’s dreams to become reality.
“We all had a thirst and a desire to learn, to grow, to be something, to have better. All of us from diverse backgrounds bound together by the dream of a better life.”
A donation of just £9 will provide a mug of porridge to 100 Kenyan children, many of whom are suffering the early effects of malnutrition as a consequence of Coronavirus restrictions. Please donate whatever you can afford to help Porridge Clubs thrive. Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity.