Some 50,669 students from 164 primary schools in Kajiado are benefitting from a school feeding programme courtesy of Light Up Hope foundation. Speaking in Kajiado Township Primary School during the launch of the programme, Kelly Shaughnessy, the President of Light Up Hope said that the foundation has decided to upscale from the 12 schools they were feeding initially after realizing that there is a huge need for food in Kajiado due to the current drought ravaging livelihoods. ‘Our organization is education focused and we know when students have no food at home, their ability to learn and grow is diminished. We feel honored to be able to come alongside the local community to bring food aid to students in school during this extremely difficult time,’ said Kelly. Moses Ignatius, the Executive Director of Light Up Hope said that the foundation seeks to alleviate poverty in the country through supporting education progression. Ignatius remarks that a hungry child will never focus in the classroom and at the end of the day, they will perform poorly and this leads to poverty but once they are well fed, they will be able to perform academically. The County Director of Education Dr. Martin Cheruiyot has lauded the foundation for their timely intervention saying that school enrollment has risen to 96% after the foundation increased the number of schools benefitting from the feeding program. Leonard Nyota, Moipei Primary School head teacher thanks the Light Up Hope foundation for their feeding program saying that the program has really improved school attendance. Nyota remarks that many parents are now enrolling their children even before they attain the recommended age of four years. ‘Our student population has increased from 431 to 547 since the feeding program started. We are grateful to Light Up Hope Foundation for their generosity,’ said Nyota Oloilalei Primary School head teacher, Paul Kanar reiterates Nyota’s sentiments saying, that some 27 students reported to school before the feeding program began but the number has now increased to 187 after parents discovered that there is food in school. The school menu includes maize and beans, an egg and a fruit. Apart from the feeding program in Kajiado, LUH also offers educational scholarships for bright and needy learners right from primary school to university. Currently the organisation is sponsoring 260 high school girls and 100 university students.
Source: Kenya News Agency