#internationalschoolmealday

The hot meals prepared daily in the Tujisaidie School in Kayole, Nairobi, are an impressive example of truly sustainable nutrition for children. Maize flour ugali with beans provides a balance of carbohydrates and protein. Locally grown vegetables help with flavour and extra vitamins. In a community of low income, such essentials help the children thrive and remain healthy whilst enabling them to get the most from their schooling. Not only is employment created for the school cooks, local youngsters have been inspired to extend meal provision to Saturdays, preparing additional meals for hundreds of children in the area. 

Indeed, our Kenyan friends do not need to be coached in innovation! Recent partnership discussions with supporting churches in Ireland resulted in a new holiday food parcel programme to ease the burden on parents struggling to survive the long school holidays. CMSI’s partner, Antony Njoroge, recently relayed how families of Tujisaidie students found the nutritional support immensely helpful, both practically and psychologically. One mother told him that she “does not worry when she goes out to look for a job because she is assured her son will have a meal”.

This is a community of children, parents and teachers who value one another highly, seeing their school meal programme as an essential platform from which to develop and grow, as well as meet the many challenges and barriers they face.

Our prayer is that we would continue to be inspired by their determination, their open-handed sharing of resourcesand their impressive sense of communal responsibility.