MPC Director Sister Mary Killeen. Photo/Handout
By Sammy Kimatu
More than 1,000 learners from four primary schools in Nairobi’s Mukuru informal settlement have benefited from a feeding programme aimed at supporting children from vulnerable families during the school holiday.
The programme, organised by Mukuru Promotion Centre (MPC) in collaboration with Team Pankaj, a group of local Kenyan donors, was conducted during the second-term holiday in August.
The initiative provided meals to learners who would otherwise face difficulties accessing adequate food while away from school.
Speaking on Monday, August 17, MPC Director Sister Mary Killeen said the programme was intended to respond to the challenges faced by children living in families struggling with poverty in the sprawling Mukuru settlement.
Sr Mary noted that many parents in the area are unable to provide regular meals for their children because of financial difficulties.
“Parents of these children cannot afford to put a meal on the table,” Sr Mary remarked, adding that providing food during the holiday was important not only for the learners’ wellbeing but also for their safety.
Programme addresses hunger and safety
She noted that when children lack food and supervision during school holidays, some are likely to spend long hours moving around the neighbourhood in search of something to eat or activities to keep them occupied.
According to Sr Mary, keeping the children engaged and providing them with meals helps protect them from dangers associated with roaming around the settlement.
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She specifically cited the risk of drowning in the Ngong River and road accidents along the busy Enterprise Road.
“By feeding these children, given the poverty levels in the slums, we also save them from the risk of drowning in Ngong River as well as avoiding road accidents when many children roam all over along the busy Enterprise Road,” she remarked.
The learners who benefited from the initiative came from Sancta Maria Mukuru Primary School, St Bakhita Primary School, St Catherine Primary School and St Elizabeth Primary School.
The four schools have a combined population of more than 6,000 learners, highlighting the scale of the need for assistance among children living in the informal settlement.
MPC co-sponsors the four public primary schools, which are run by the national government but are located within Mukuru.
Through its partnership with the schools, the centre supports education and other programmes aimed at improving the welfare of children and families in the area.
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