Give Hope to Kisumu's Underprivileged Children

Greetings and Gratitude from Team RKF

Thank you for your continued support towards our project and communities! In our last report, we provided updates on the country-wide protests in Kenya and the challenges they brought in delivering our programs. Despite these disruptions, we remained committed to supporting the community through our Meal Kits and School Meals Program. Read the full report here: Carrying On Amidst Protests in Kenya.

In this report, we bring you some new and exciting updates! We’ll share highlights from our workshops with the Scholars and insights from this term’s Teachers, Cooks, and Interns Roundtable.

Scholars Workshop Update: Part 1

Our scholars returned from their second term, and we had fun, inspiring, and impactful activities planned for them! These workshops aimed to rejuvenate the students after their time in school and elevate their educational experience, expanding their imaginations' horizons and inspiring them to believe that their possibilities are endless.

Before we get into it, you can catch up on last term's workshops. Here’s a link: Shining on: Scholars Update

The workshop kicked off with a series of lively ice-breakers, such as musical chairs, “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Cups,” and the crowd-favourite drawing contest, in which scholars hilariously attempted to sketch their partner’s face without looking at the paper or lifting their pencils. Laughter filled the room as the masterpieces came to life! With our spirits high and hearts full, we kicked off the activities.

Cookout session: Scholars got hands-on with a fun cookout challenge! Divided into three teams—Team Galitos, Team FoodInn, and Team Wonderers—they each whipped up a unique dish: ugali and kachumbari, sukuma wiki with eggs, and vegetable pilau, respectively. Teamwork and friendly competition ruled the kitchen, from chopping veggies to stirring pots. From figuring out the recipe together to taste-testing the final product, every moment was filled with laughter, learning, and a dash of friendly competition. The reward? They cooked a delicious meal themselves and learned some profound life lessons in leadership, communication, and patience.

Art: The creativity didn’t stop at food! Scholars unleashed their inner artists in the art session with vibrant paintings and delicate origami. Working together, they created colourful masterpieces, boosting their confidence and showing how powerful collaboration can be.

Show-and-Tell: Scholars brought their talents to the spotlight! Naomi started things with a heartfelt poem while others danced, rapped, presented creative artwork, dribbled soccer balls, and even shared scientific concepts like making light without batteries. Every scholar had a moment to shine with plenty of applause and smiles. We wrapped up the fun activities with a screening of Encanto, soaking in lessons about self-awareness, teamwork, and perseverance. Afterwards, they shared their favourite moments from the film and the characters that inspired them the most.

And that’s just the beginning—stay tuned for part two, where there’s even more to come from these unforgettable workshops!

Teachers’ Roundtable

A famous drummer and singer of rock music, Phil Collins, once said, "In learning, you will teach, and in teaching, you will learn." Teachers dedicate their hearts and souls to nurturing the next generation. However, in their line of duty, they encounter various challenges that affect their delivery and, in the process, transmit to students.

Through the Teachers' Roundtable, the Rahul Kotak Foundation provides a platform for teachers to share their experiences and challenges and spotlight the neglected issues affecting them. We held our 3rd Teachers' Roundtable, a day of connection, learning, and reflection. It provided a space for educators to bond, share, and grow—fueled by insightful conversations and delicious meals. They discussed the challenges faced and took a deep dive into the power of a growth mindset with guest speaker Lynette Odidi. With inspiring sessions and engaging ice melters, the day was a step forward in cultivating resilience and positivity in public education.

Cooks + Interns Roundtable

Recently, we hosted a roundtable with our amazing field interns and dedicated cooks, the backbone of our School Meals Program. Our field interns, stationed at various schools, oversee daily operations—meal prep, queue management, and timely service—while ensuring all hygiene protocols are followed. This meeting was about hearing their experiences, discussing their challenges, and brainstorming solutions to enhance the program.

But it wasn’t all work and no play! We brought some classic Jenga to keep things fun and foster team spirit. The energy in the room was infectious, and the insights shared were invaluable. Our cooks, who work tirelessly to ensure nutritious meals are prepared daily, also voiced their thoughts. Their feedback is essential as they are on the frontlines, ensuring every child receives two hot, healthy meals daily.

Together, we're making strides towards a better, more effective Meals program for the children we serve!

Links:

• Gift the Power of Education to a Scholar
• Read our latest report from our Climate Project!
• Subscribe to RKF's newsletter for more updates

Heartfelt Gratitude and Greetings from Team RKF

Your continued support makes our work at RKF a continued reality. Your unwavering support enables us to achieve our milestones and significantly impact the lives of children and families living in marginalised communities within Kisumu County. In our last report, we shared exciting updates, including the resumption of the School Meals Program which had served 850,000 meals by then, an impactful story from the field and the joy of receiving GG badges for the fifth consecutive year and more!

If you missed that report, please read it here:Pencils Up, Spoons Out: Back to School

In this report, we will be sharing updates from our Meal Kits and School Meals Program! We also want to share an update on the current political situation in Kenya; the ongoing protests and how our team continues to support the community despite the recurring disruption to our daily operations.

On-going Protests and Political Unrest in Kenya

There have been nationwide protests that have led to disruption of operations across the country. Businesses, schools and other institutions have had to remain closed on and off. This has impacted our School Meals Program; parents have been hesitant to send children to school resulting in poor attendance. Co-ordinating erratic school attendance with our meals program has been challenging affecting the delivery of meals to the students who depend on them. 

Impact and Relief: Continuing to support our Communities with Meal Kits

Our Meal Kit distributions have been ongoing to support parents across various communities in Kisumu County. Since our last report, 66 beneficiaries have received meal kits, serving 13,200 meals! Despite the continuous disruptions due to the protests, this ongoing effort has provided crucial support for many parents navigating through these challenging times, offering them much-needed relief and hope.

We are pleased to share a story from one of our beneficiaries that highlights the impact meal kits are making in their daily lives;

Caroline, a skilled salonist, resides in a rental home in Nyalenda with her husband and four children. For the past two years, she has been part of the Meals Kit program which has significantly eased her family's financial burdens.

Caroline's husband used to drive a shuttle vehicle, earning KES 700 ($5.43) daily but recently lost that job. He now drives for a different company, earning only KES 300-400 ($2.30 – $3.30) daily, a drastic reduction that has strained the family's finances. As a result, Caroline had no choice but to operate her hairdressing business from their rural home, while her family remained in Kisumu.

The cost of transportation has become a major challenge for Caroline, yet she manages to balance expenses by carefully planning around set deadlines. While she earns KES 400 ($3.30) daily working in town, her income drops to KES 150-200 ($1.10 - $1.50) when she works from home, depending on demand. Despite these challenges, Caroline acknowledges that with the support of the meal kits, her family, especially her children are assured of having food.

School Meals Program

In June, we extended our School Meals Program to two new schools: Wandiege Primary School and Senior Chief Onunga School for the Deaf. Both schools are located in Kisumu County, where students and teachers come from local areas largely consisting of informal settlements.

Wandiege Primary School has a population of 852 students and 32 teachers. In the past, teachers had attempted to start a school meals program, but it failed due to food inflation which made the lunch program unaffordable for students and their parents.

Senior Chief Onunga School for the Deaf is one of very few schools in the County for children with special needs, primarily those who are deaf and hard of hearing. The school has a small population.  The headteacher and teachers had initiated a program to provide meals to the students in the past through fundraising, however this initiative was not sustainable in the long run and ultimately failed.

After a successful pilot program, both schools have a running School Meals Program which has served 8,954 meals!

Thank you for July Bonus Day

We are moved by your generosity. July Bonus Day 2024 was a phenomenal success, all thanks to YOU! Your generous contributions have made a tremendous impact, allowing us to continue our mission of feeding and educating our community's children. We couldn't have done it without your support. Every donation brings us one step closer to a brighter future.

Links:

• Just Released: Check Out Our Newsletter!
• Read our latest report from our Climate Project!
• Subscribe to RKF's newsletter for more updates!