Kenya School Lunch Program

Feeding Vulnerable School Children in Kenya

Since January 2007, Mercy-USA for Aid and Development, in partnership with the local community, has been providing daily breakfast and lunch to over 500 pre-school, kindergarten and primary school children in two schools in the Kariobangi slum area of Nairobi, Kenya.  The objectives of this program are to improve the children’s nutrition and to increase attendance, reduce dropout rates and improve overall academic performance, especially among girls.

Below is specific information on the participating schools:

Watoto Weto School
This school focuses on orphans, whose parents died from HIV/AIDS. Started in the year 2003, it has a total student population of approximately 230 children.

Kariobangi Day Nursery School (KDNS)
This school was established as an initiative by the community self-help group. Currently, it has a student population of approximately 280 children, ranging from 3 to 6 years of age.

For many of these children, the two meals provided by Mercy-USA are the only ones that they consistently eat daily.

Repairs and Upgrades

From March to July 2008, Mercy-USA has provided the children at KDNS with 250 new chairs, repainted 60 other chairs and 70 tables and installed new playground equipment.  The children now have a slide, seesaw and five new swings, as well as a repainted climbing frame.  During 2007, KDNS and Watoto Weto received new kitchen utensils and serving containers; M-USA also repaired damaged kitchen counters. 

During 2006, Mercy-USA repaired the kitchens and food storage rooms in six other schools in Kariobangi and installed new jikos (locally-designed, relatively inexpensive and efficient wood and charcoal burning stoves) in four of the schools.  These six schools are attended by over 8,000 children, who now have improved and more sanitary kitchen facilities to prepare their daily meals.

Please Help!

Please help us to feed vulnerable school children in Kenya. You may send your contribution immediately through the secure online donation form or mail it to:

In the US:

Mercy-USA for Aid and Development
Attn: Kenya School Lunch
44450 Pinetree Drive, Suite 201
Plymouth, Michigan 48170-3869

In Canada:

Mercy USA for Aid and Development (Canada)
Attn: Kenya School Lunch
Fiesta RPO, PO Box 56102, 102 HWY # 8
Stoney Creek, ON L8G 5C9

If you have any questions or wish to donate over the telephone, you may call us at 1-800-55-MERCY (1-800-556-3729) or (734) 454-0011. Donations are tax deductible (US Federal Tax ID No. 38-2846307 and Canada Revenue Agency Business No. 89458 5553 RR0001).

Thank you for helping to feed vulnerable children in Kenya and encouraging them to attend school, improve their academic performance and have a brighter future.

                                                         

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Many companies will match the donations of their employees. Please ask your company if it has such a matching gift program.

Dedicated to alleviating human suffering and supporting individuals and their communities in their efforts to become more self-sufficient, Mercy-USA for Aid and Development has had offices and programs in Kenya since 1995. M-USA is also a registered PVO (Private Voluntary Organization) with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and is a member of the American Council for Voluntary International Action (InterAction).