Main casualties of hunger crisis in Kenya are children

Main casualties of hunger crisis in Kenya are children

You cannot tell a child to vivify an action when that child is hungry and in dire need of just a simple meal or water. It is impossible. When you pay a visit to some of families affected by hunger in Kenya and look at the state of children and their need to have food, you are heartbroken and shaken. The state of affairs at how much hunger crisis is affecting mostly vulnerable children in communities located in 23 counties in Kenya currently affected by the ongoing drought, it is something that needs be taken into consideration.

The walking distance of mothers and children in search of water for their daily use that will at least help them to keep their stomach full, is worsening the physical and health status of children in the communities. Their image portrays a state of despair and what they need is just food. 

At an Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) in Turkana county, I saw the desperate state of childern feeling the pain of hunger. They had sat  under a tree in order to get some shade, they were many, so many. Some were carrying their brothers and sisters aged either between one or two years old in order to be part of the pupils that will receive the school feeding program. Some of the children have never been enrolled at the centre but they are just waiting to get that meal just for a day.

The cooking preparation was ongoing , it was boiled maize and beans. Some of the children were sleeping some seated , others drooling , some crying over the pain and the desire to eat. I remember one of the ECDE pupils, his younger brother who was crying and his attempts to cool him down with a harsh tone was not working. So he changed his tone telling him in a soft and tender tone “please keep quiet its is okay, we will get food, just be patient”.

The climatic temperature was at that point that you could barely even walk around aimlessly or else you will be dehydrated by the scorching heat. It was sunny and too hot, yet none of the children had any jar of water to drink. All they had in their hands were simple and unhygienic metal and plastic cups and plates. Holding them tightly in their hands not loose them. Other children had nothing on their hands they just came to wait and see and maybe share the food with others if given that chance or opportunity.

The situation seemed dire. Some could not help waiting for the food they had to sleep with cups they were holding in their hands, while others were basically laughing with smiles of hunger and desire to eat seen all over their faces. A few of the rest of the children aged above five years old were hoping to take the first sprint to reach the place where serving for the meal will take place. One of the child as called kakonda in the kiswahili language. It basically means too thin. Yes for sure the boy was so thin with white hair, his physical state was like he barely eats any meal per day. He was smiling like he was okay but no he was not. As the other children shouted his name, they knew him very well.

Hunger was actually impacting negatively on children in turkana community.

The lack of sense of even giving the children water that was not available could not even ring in the minds of many. Some of the children had walked for like five or more kilometres in order to be part of the pupils, in order to get the school feeding program. Surprisingly the school feeding program being provided at the ECDE is not part of the national or county government donation. A good hearted donor has been supporting the ECDE pupils every term, donating bags of maize and beans in order to feed children in the community with just a meal per day, during the five day school going session.

The area is not part of World Vision Kenya Area Development Programme (ADP). It was just a stop as we made our way back to Nairobi from Turkana. My concern was to ask questions to the children, with regards to the ongoing hunger crisis. 

That is when I saw and confimed that hunger, is biting hard and so hard and the main casualties are children.

When it was time to go and get the meal, an alert was raised by the cook and immediately it was a sprint among the children. Usain Bolt could not manage to overtake them, as young as they were, between the age of 1 and 7 years old, they ran as fast as they could. They  lined up to get a full cup of boiled beans and maize. All the wanted to do was to eat. 

They sat on the ground that was full of sand or wherever they could get a space under a shade of tree. The children picked the pieces of the mixture of maize and beans from their food containers. They had not even cleaned their hands. I was just concerned about that. My own thought is that later  the children might be affected by cholera or diarrhoea. Lack of water was the major concern as to why that was happening.

 However, the children did not mind that, they devoured the meal like it will be their only meal for the day. Why is their hunger crisis in Kenya, that is the question I am asking, Why?

What will happen when school close for the holiday season? Where will these children get a chance of having a meal pear day? Who will be there for them? It was heartbreaking to have such questions, but what do you do. I hope my blog will help people donate and support children currently faced by hunger in Kenya. 

Trust me the situation is not okay at all, through my own eyes, talking to community members and and my observation of what I have seen. Hunger crisis in Kenya is a reality, and something needs to be done as soon as possible, it is affecting so many Kenyans at large and the impact on children needs to be taken into concern.