Feed hungry children in Kenya

Peter lost his wife several years ago and now raises 5 children by himself. He works odd jobs when he can find them and grows some crops on his small plot of farmland. The time required to haul water, gather firewood, cook meals for the children, and provide child care before and after school limits his ability to earn the money he needs for food and school expenses for the children. The plight of Peter and his children was greatly improved when a generous donor offered to pay for a monthly supplemental food ration and the school expenses for the children. Two of the children are in a pre-school, and 3 are in primary school. During a recent Global Health Partnerships (GHP) site visit, Peter expressed his gratitude to the donor for this support, saying “Thank you for the food assistance and for helping me to educate my children.”       

Twenty-four families are enrolled in the GHP program of feeding the poorest and receive a monthly food ration, plus the support needed for their children to stay in school. GHP has identified other families like Peter’s who are in great need of this assistance provided by this project.

GHP has also continued the outreach clinics that provide vital services for young children in remote villages. In the months of May and June 2016 (July information is not yet available), 207 children were seen in the GHP outreach clinics, and 15 of them were treated for malnutrition through the therapeutic feeding program.

Please send us your comments and suggestions. What do you find most interesting in the reports? Let us know if there are aspects of the program for which you would like more detailed information.

The families who eke out a living through subsistence farming in the village of Ndiuni have had a difficult time lately. The unpredictable weather and lack of sufficient rainfall have resulted in crop losses and lack of enough food. This places the children at great risk of hunger and starvation. Mary (shown in the photo) was 18 months old when her mother brought her to the medical team that conducts outreach clinic for the GHP “Feed Hungry Children in Kenya” project. The medical evaluation revealed that Mary suffered from malnutrition, like so many other children in the isolated villages of this part of eastern Kenya. With therapeutic feeding and close follow-up by the community health workers, Mary has recovered and is now a normal active child.

The GHP outreach clinics have continued to provide vital services twice a month for young children in remote villages, including Ndiuni. In the three months (February through April 2016) since the last report, 269 children were seen in the GHP outreach clinics, and 14 of them were treated for malnutrition through the therapeutic feeding program.

In addition to the outreach clinics, 24 families are enrolled in the GHP program of feeding the poorest and receive a monthly food ration, plus the support needed for their children to stay in school.

Your comments and suggestions are appreciated. What do you find most interesting in the reports? Please let us know if there are aspects of the program for which you would like more detailed information?