Feed 300 poor children in urban Mombasa

We  continue to provide the children in our school with morning porridge and a balanced midday meal. Food inflation in Kenya continues to rise and for poor people struggling to feed their families is a daily battle.. The food our children have in school is more important than ever and their parents are very grateful. We also support the very poorest families during school holidays with maize meal and beans and are expecting the number of families in need of help to rise. The Kenyan shilling is weaker than it has ever been isince The Mustard Seed Project (MSP). began. The drought in Africa has been particularly severe and has affected Kenya badly. The war in Ukraine, where a lot of the grain used in Kenya comes from, has exacerbated the situation. On my visit to Kenya in the Autumn I was shocked to see the price of food in the supermarkets. It is out of reach for our families who shop wherever they can, mostly in markets, but there too prices are rising all the time. The two trustees of MSP who were in Kenya in March this year noted continued rapid price rises. We have given all staff in Kenya a pay increase because the rate of inflation is so high and they too were struggling. Even so it is difficult for them.

During the time I was in Kenya last November I did not see one plate go back to the kitchen that wasn't empty. Nothing is wasted and our cooks do a wonderful job. What I hadn't realised until I was there is that not only do they cook a well balanced meal for children and staff, but also cater for a few children with special diets. We recently employed a lovely lady, a parent we have known for several years, who goes to the market for fresh produce daily. The rest of the food is of course bought in bulk by MSP. Siti is very poor. She is proving a great help to our cooks who previously had to take it in turns to shop. 

As always we are very grateful indeed to our donors. Without your generosity and kindess we could have achieved very little. As it is we are able to feed our children, they are healthy, ready to learn and have a chance of a better life than they could have otherwise have expected. Please continue to give us your support. There is so much need but between us we are making a difference. Thank you.