Feed 1,500 Children in Nairobi’s Informal Settlements

Fuel a Future: Feed 1,500 Children in Nairobi’s Informal Settlements

Where one school meal can mean the difference between hunger and hope.

In Nairobi’s informal settlements, school meals are more than nourishment — they’re a lifeline. Most community schools receive no government support, and for many children, a school meal is the only one they’ll have all day.

This campaign aims to raise $36,500 by July 31, 2025, to fully fund two vital school meals programs in Nairobi, Kenya — Lea Mathare and Viwandani — for an entire year. Your support will provide daily nutritious meals to 1,500 children, improving attendance, supporting learning, and helping to break the cycle of poverty.

Every donation brings us closer to full plates, full classrooms, and full potential. Give today, help us spread the word — and help turn hunger into hope.

CAMPAIGN BACKGROUND & DETAIL:

In Nairobi, 60% of the population lives in informal settlements that occupy just 5% of the city’s land. With limited access to public schools, 63% of children in these areas attend low-cost, informal schools run by communities or faith-based groups. In Mathare and Mukuru alone, there are nearly 200,000 school-aged children but fewer than ten public primary schools. These informal schools often lack recognition, operate with minimal resources, and are excluded from government support programs like school feeding initiatives—worsening issues of child nutrition, attendance, and educational outcomes. Inclusive policies and support are urgently needed to reach these underserved learners.

Nutritious school meals boost children’s health, education, and community resilience. With global momentum behind universal school feeding by 2030, this US-Africa Initiatives campaign supports two grassroots programs in Nairobi’s informal settlements—providing daily meals to vulnerable children through local partners, tuiFUND, and helping break the cycle of poverty.

Lea Mathare Foundation is a community nonprofit in one of Nairobi’s largest informal settlements, serving 53 children aged 2–9. Founded by local resident Gregory Waithaka, it runs a primary school that offers two nutritious meals daily, six days a week. In a community with limited services and little international support, the foundation provides vital education and nourishment. It operates with six local staff and is sustained through a $28/month child sponsorship model covering meals and salaries. For many students, school is their only source of reliable nutrition—encouraging attendance, boosting learning, and helping to break the cycle of poverty.

The Viwandani Community School Meals Program in Mukuru serves daily lunches to 1,500 children across six schools. The Program's model was co-developed through action research facilitated by TMG Think Tank, in collaboration with the local community and two Mukuru-base organizations: Viwandani Comprehensive Community Organization (VICCO) and Ruben Centre. The model tackles hunger and structural inequality through local leadership and ownership. Now run by VICCO, the program improves children's school attendance and learning. Donor support covers half the meal cost--just $0.125 per plate--to sustain this vital initiative five days a week. Parent meet the other half in support of the program overhead and sustainability.

Project Sponsor Information: This campaign is sponsored by U.S. and Africa Initiatives in partnership with tuiFUND in Nairobi, Kenya, which promotes philanthropy in East Africa and powers grassroots community initiatives for sustainable growth and positive impact.