I am a clinical psychologist who spent some time in Africa working with disabled children, their teachers, and their parents. I made a friend, an incredibly dedicated and honest teacher, who devoted her energy to learning how to help the children in her charge. Now, she is begging me for help.
She has been made the head teacher at a school for children with disabilities in a very poor district. Her budget last year, to feed 70 children for 9 months, was $5,400. That's about 2 cents per child per day. The children must board to receive the specialized education they need, and many of their parents can't afford the $150 per year for boarding fees, but she doesn't turn them away because education is essential for them.
One-third did not pay their boarding fees, making her small budget stretch.
She was agonizing over not being able to feed the children a healthy diet. In. 2024, they survived for the three school terms on nothing but beans and grains such as rice, fried bread, and maize. I said I would try to help.
Why am I not giving you the specifics of her name and school? Because she is a government employee and would be fired for letting others know how dire her situation is. And the money would be seized and put to other uses.
American dollars are so strong in other countries--she needs money to buy fruit, eggs, meat, milk for tea, and bread and margarine, fortified with vitamins. $7 will buy a piece of fruit for each student for a day. $12 will buy one egg each for the whole school. $28 will feed 70 kids a piece of meat. $17 would provide tea with milk and bread with margarine fortified with vitamins. These are foods she cannot afford to feed them, but she knows they need these nutrients. It is hard to imagine that $64 will add all these nutrients, if only once, to an entire school for one week.
Last year, thanks to generous donations, we were able to make a real difference. We built a water tank, enabled her to find a solution to her water problems during the dry season, and contributed enough to feed the children at least one meat meal a week, eggs, more fruits and vegetables, and milky tea and bread with vitamin enriched margarine once a week. From 2 cents a day, that was about 60 cents a day per child. Hardly a good diet by American standards, but a significant improvement.
The need continues! The kids will come back to school in 2026 hungry again.
Any amount of money will help these kids eat a healthier diet. Even pennies count! Please help me help my friend feed her students. Every cent would go to buy food. Nothing else. No transfer charges, no taxes, no one with access to the donations but my honest friend herself. Please, please help me get her from 2 cents per child per day up to 60 cents. Please help me to FEED HUNGRY CHILDREN!