Community pride: local Primary school food programme during exams
In Kenya it’s that time again when school exams take place. It is well documented (and perhaps obvious) that there is a clear impact on the performance of children in school if they have more regular access to food.
We believe that communities benefit at the grass roots when there is an emphasis on empowerment and community-led sustainable development. This creates a resilience in the progress of the community and long-term results.
We support our local community in a number of ways. For example, we focus on their personal development and job security in the Kilifi community through creating employment opportunities. Today over 80% of our 400-plus strong Vipingo Ridge team are recruited from the local community. We’re proud of every member of our team and the hard work they do to deliver an excellent experience for our clients.
Community-led school feeding program
Many of our local community do face daily challenges, so this exam season we engaged with the Pingilikani Primary School local community project to support those most needy. We provided extra fire wood and the transport logistics to aid their school feeding program. This was developed by the school and especially for boarding grade 6 and 8 candidates sitting national exams. This gesture ensured consistent meal preparation, reducing the burden on parents to transport firewood from their homes to the school.
Vipingo Ridge through the office of the MCA Junju also supported 7 other schools namely; Vipingo, Vipingo Central, Gongoni, Kolewa, Chodari, Kapecha and Shariani Primary Schools with food to complement their feeding program for boarding candidates. 10 bundles of maize flour each containing 12 pkts of 2kg each were donated and a total of 1,436 pupils both grade 6 and 8 were reached. The flour was distributed based on the population of the school and 3 out of the 7 schools received 2 bundles each while the remaining 4 received 1 bundle each.
By supporting the school feeding program’s needs we aim to retain the learners in school and indirectly boost the students’ focus and performance in the critical exam period.
Communities can realise an enduring change when they take control and find their own solutions, improving their quality of life with investment of their own resources, so we are happy to play our small part in the school feeding program developed by the 8 local schools.
We are proud to be a part of a community that prioritizes education and collective support. We wish all students taking their exams well, may their hard work and dedication shine brightly.
A Royal interest in community-led programs
King Charles III visited Vipingo Ridge this month. He was learning about community-led initiatives and bringing the attention of the global stage to fantastic examples of this theory of change in practice.
The sustainable food practices in our community were a key part of His Highness’ visit to Kuruwitu in early November 2023.
He spent time with members of the community understanding the role of diversifying food sources, nutrition education and turning small spaces, such as the porches of local homes, into productive micro-farming spaces.
The Oceans Alive team work to educate, as well as start up home growing systems, which are demonstrated in the kitchen gardens within the Vipingo Ridge Beach Club. As well as improving the diets of 100s of households in the local fishing community, this practice empowers women to feed their families and potentially take an income from selling the high value excess leafy greens grown at home.
To learn more about the visit of King Charles to Kuruwitu please visit our news story.
