Kuda was born in the small Kenyan village of Jera in 2007 and never knew her father who left before she was born.
It was a struggle for her mother raising Kuda and her three siblings to ensure all the children got enough to eat.
“This was a big challenge for the jobless mother who would walk door-to-door in search of any manual jobs to sustain her family,” reported Patrick Odongo, project leader of the Seed School, Bread and Water for Africa® newest partner in the country. “In a rural environment where poverty knocks on all doors and unemployment is rife, Kuda stared at the future with uncertainty.
“Life was difficult and hopes were fast fading.”
Things started looking up for Kuda when her mother found work at a nearby elementary school in exchange for enrolling her in school.
But then Kuda’s mother’s health deteriorated quickly, leaving the 6-year-old orphaned.
“Kuda’s life sank even deeper being left with her minor brothers who could not support her in any way,” said Patrick.
However, when he learned of her plight, he managed to bring her to Nairobi to attend the Seed School and her bleak life turned bright.
“Today, Kuda is able to attend studies every day and benefit from the feeding program that we offer at the Seed School,” Patrick reported.
And at Bread and Water for Africa® we are working to raise funds necessary to provide for two meals each school day for Carol and more than 100 of her new classmates in school located in the slums of Kibera for an entire year – and thanks to our compassionate and generous supporters we are well on our way to achieving our goal.
“The solid financial support from Bread and Water for Africa® in supporting our feeding program is a step in the right direction in enabling our program to reach many more children in dire need within the slums of Nairobi.”
The Seed Foundation operates the school for children ages 3 to 14 in the midst of one of the largest slums on the continent of Africa, and the world.
“Children living in Kibera slums are voiceless and rarely get any education unless they get support from charitable institutions and well-wishers,” explained Patrick. “The Seed Foundation runs a school in Kibera that strives at transforming the lives of these children by offering them hope through education and giving them a regular feeding program while they are in school.
“We thank Bread and Water for Africa® for supporting our feeding program for an entire term. This enabled us to improve the lives of the children and increase their concentration in class. Due to overwhelming needs we are unable to secure support easily from any local institutions.”
Patrick added thanks to the supporters of Bread and Water for Africa® he was assured of having the funds on hand to purchase corn flour, beans, corn, potatoes, onions, tomatoes and green vegetables and fruits depending on the season.
“Upon receiving the grant from Bread and Water for Africa® we were able to start the feeding program on an upper hand, as previously there was no reliability,” he said.
“These children come from over 80 different households. Unfortunately, due to the harsh poverty levels in the slums of Kibera, many of these households live in absolute poverty which denies the children their major basic needs, including education and a balanced diet.”
“We thank the Seed School and their American supporters for helping our children get a chance of attaining decent education besides two meals in daily feeding at school. Previously the children went through a lot of suffering and since they are still very young they were unable to understand the problems that we go through as their parents. Let us hope that this will go on for many years.” — Veronica Adhiambo, Seed School parent
