In 2019, Bread and Water for Africa® announced the development and implementation of a School Meal program in partnership with the Seed Foundation’s Seed School located in the Kenyan slum of Kibera on the outskirts of Nairobi to provide two nutritious, filling meals to 100 impoverished students each school day for an entire year.
The children in Kibera live with their families in a shack with an average size of 12 feet by 12 feet with mud walls, a corrugated tin roof, and a dirt floor. These “homes” often house up to eight family members or more, and many sleep on the floor.
“Our program addresses the educational needs of the most vulnerable children within the communities in the slums of Kibera,” states Seed Foundation founder and director Patrick Odongo.
He explains that Kibera is “an informal set-up which bears the heaviest burden of employment and poverty in all of Nairobi. Due to rampant unemployment and the inadequacy of resources in rural areas, Kenyans migrate from their rural homes to Nairobi in search of jobs – and end up finding themselves in one of the most populous slums in Africa.
“The Seed School was created to offer students a quality education, and combine it with a feeding program,” Patrick continued. Two meals are provided every day to every student. This helps in preventing stunting and other malnutritional-related diseases.”
Fast forward six years, and thanks to the supporters of Bread and Water for Africa®, the number of students attending the Seed School has more than doubled – with a current enrollment of 300 who no longer choose between attending classes or working and/or scrounging for something to eat.
Among them are:
Happy Baylean, a 5-year-old pre-primary school student who struggled to attend school regularly due to her family’s poor financial situation.
“Often, she went to school hungry, which affected her focus and energy levels,” reported Patrick. “Her grades were consistently poor, and her teachers were concerned about her overall well-being.”
However, after being enrolled in the School Meal Program, Happy received a nutritious meal every school day, and within a few weeks, her teachers noticed a significant improvement in her concentration and energy levels, Patrick told us.
“With regular meals, Happy was more attentive in class and started showing a keen interest in her studies,” said Patrick. “Over time, her grades improved dramatically, and she became one of the top performers in her class. Her parents were overjoyed and expressed that the School Meal Program had given their daughter a chance for a better future.”
“Before the School Meal Program, I was always hungry and tired,” says Happy. “I couldn’t concentrate in class, and I felt like I was falling behind. Now that I eat at school, I can focus on my lessons, and I’m doing much better.
“I love coming to school because I know I will learn and not feel hungry anymore.”
Danto Otieno, 12, was suffering from “severe malnutrition” before the School Meal program was implemented, said Patrick.
“His family lived in extreme poverty, and many days Danto would attend school without eating anything. This affected his ability to focus in class, and he frequently missed lessons.
“His teachers were concerned as his grades were the lowest in his grade level.”
But once Danto started receiving meals through the School Meal Program, the situation improved dramatically.
“He no longer came to school hungry, and over time, his focus and energy levels increased. His grades improved significantly within a few months
“He became more active in class discussions, and his teachers remarked on how much his confidence had grown.”
And as for Danto himself, “I used to skip school because I was too hungry to sit in class. It was hard to listen when my stomach hurt. But now, the food I get gives me the strength to pay attention and do my homework.
“All thanks to Bread and Water for Africa® and Seed School Kibera. My grades have gone up, and I even got the highest score in math last term!”
Gloria Achieng, a 14-year-old living in a single parent household, is another who arrived hungry every day because her mother could not afford enough food for the family.
“This lack of nutrition severely affected Gloria’s ability to focus, and she was often sleepy and unresponsive in class,” reported Patrick. “Her teachers were worried about her falling behind.”
But her situation quickly improved once she began receiving the twice-daily meals.
“The meals provided at school gave the energy she needed to stay alert through the day,” said Patrick. “Her academic performance saw a noticeable improvement, especially in reading and writing, and soon she caught up with her classmates.”
Gloria told us that before, “I didn’t have energy, and I was always too tired to learn.
“Since the feeding program started, everything is different. I’m not hungry anymore, and I’m proud that I’m one of the best students in my class.
“The meals give me the energy to keep going.”
And once many of the students complete their education at the Seed Primary School, that doesn’t mean their educational journey has ended.
Thanks again to the supporters of Bread and Water for Africa®, we are able to provide grant funding to promising students who wish to continue their education onto secondary school.
Those include:
Fidel Castrol, 15, who was born and raised in Kibera by a single mother with five children and had expressed concern about whether his education was over once he graduated from the Seed School.
“Even though I passed my end of primary exams with flying colors, I might not be able to join Board High Secondary School because of the situation at home.”
Fidel told us, “I am depressed since I don’t know what might happen next.”
But he need not have worried, as today he is a Grade 7 student at the Toi Junior Secondary School and is on his way to a successful adulthood.
Ashline Atieno Ochieng, 14, told us she lives with both her parents, who have four children in Kibera “but they are in a vulnerable situation that they cannot afford to take care of our needs.
“I have three siblings who attend different schools, and this makes it difficult for my parents to pay my school fees to join a secondary school.
“I am afraid that without assistance, I might have to say goodbye to my education at this young age.”
However, we are pleased to report today that Ashline is a Form 2 student at the Winyo Mixed Secondary School, thanks again to the compassionate and generous supporters of Bread and Water for Africa®.
Patrick notes that since the School Meal Program was implemented, it has “brought about significant positive changes in the lives of the targeted population, addressing immediate food insecurity while also laying the foundation for long-term improvements in health, education, and economic stability.”
