Food Security in East Africa
Food security is one of the most difficult challenges for impoverished rural communities in East Africa to overcome. These communities are wholly dependent on farming for their livelihood, and many of them are subsistence farmers that depend on the weather to grow crops. Floods, droughts, disease and pests can perpetuate this problem.
In addition, many families that live in rural areas live near their land and far away from schools and hospitals. These people are the most vulnerable. Their children often walk 10-15 kilometers each way to and from school daily. Many of them get very little to eat over long days at school and walking back and forth.
Feeding Program has “Unbelievable Results” in first year
At the request of the community, ACA Initiative has partnered with the school to provide food two times per day to 650 students ages 6-14 when they attend school. For many of these children, this is the only food they will eat all day.
Since we began this program in January of 2018, primary schools in Chumbi have seen a dramatic rise in attendance going from an average of mid-60% to now 97% attendance average! School registration is also up, as kids WANT to come to school. However, that isn’t even the best part about the program. The performance at both primary schools has shot through the roof! The two primary schools in Chumbi village ranked 40th and 42nd respectively in testing performance at the end of 2017. We initiated the feeding program in January 2018 at the beginning of the school year. At the end of 2018 the two schools were ranked 3rd and 4th in the district!!! Teachers talk about how happy children are at school. How much more attentive they are in their studies. You can see it in their performance.
“The change is unbelievable,” says Chumbi primary school head teacher Alex Dominic. “The children want to come to learn. With their bellies full and the knowledge that they can advance their education, the children are eager to be here and learn.”
Expansion
Our goal is to expand the program to include more schools in the area – feeding 1300 children everyday! We are also striving to make the meals more nutritious to prevent malnutrition and ensure healthy minds and bodies of the children of rural East Africa.
With your help, we can expand this program and offer children an opportunity to thrive and improve themselves. At ACA Initiative, we are all about providing opportunities to those that need them most and that opportunity here is to simply have a healthy meal.
