By KT Reporter
Windle International Uganda has introduced the Child Feed Initiative project to primary schools hosting the former Karamojong street children in Napak district.
839 children aged 3 to 15 years who had been begging on the streets of Kampala were repatriated and enrolled in primary schools of Lokodiokodio, Loodoi, and Lotome Girls primary schools for one year of stay without returning home or contacting their parents.
Despite support from several partners, the schools have often faced the challenge of feeding the children since the World Food Program-WFP does not cater for full meals for a day on weekends and holidays.
However, Windle International Uganda, in partnership with Convoy of Hope, has launched a one-year project that aims to address the underlying problems of hunger and malnutrition among children.
On Thursday, the schools received supplies of posho, beans, sugar, and fortified food supplements.
Eddy Tinka, the programs coordinator at Windle International Uganda, said that they have donated packed fortified food-formulated flour that contains blended soya and Mukene, which are powerful products to combat malnutrition and improve the health of learners in the lower primary school.
Tinka said that the food suppliers are designed to meet the nutritional needs of the children and enable them to focus on academics. He observed that strengthening the nutrition of the children is part of improving education through developing healthier minds.
He said that the program runs for a year, covering a total of 2,525 learners across the three schools. He added that they will be supporting with a feeding program covering meals for supper, breakfast and weekends. He explained that they are supplementing the food supplies distributed by other partners such as the World Food Program.
Tinka said that the schools shall receive food up to the tune of 58,000 kilograms of posho flour, 19,000 kilograms of beans, and fortified food supplements such as soya and Mukene to meet the nutritional needs of the children for a full year.
Jackeline Cherukut, a nutritionist at Windle International Uganda, said that they are currently conducting a baseline assessment to identify the malnourished cases among the children.
Cherukut noted that they have so far found out that many of the children are moderately malnourished. She added that in the further analysis, using weight-for-height z-scores could show that most of the learners are suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
Cherukut said that the children identified to be malnourished will be given a double portion of nutrient porridge that will help them to get out of malnutrition.
She added that they shall be giving a cup of porridge every evening to the children with malnutrition and ensure close monitoring by the health workers.
John Bosco Agilu, the Napak district speaker, applauded the partners for intervening to support the children who were resettled.
Agilu noted that the district could not support these children to stay in school and complete the primary cycle due to limited resources.
Agilu noted that several reports have been written to the Office of the Prime Minister and Karamoja Affairs ministry for support, but all in vain.
Agilu revealed that as a council, they plan to secure the fertile land for schools to grow their food to sustain the feeding program.
Betty Omara Awor, the Headteacher of Loodoi Primary School, said that they are currently hosting 134 children who were repatriated from the Kampala streets.
Awor said that the support from partners for the resettled children has motivated the other children in the villages to pick the courage to join the school.
Awor said that initially, feeding the children was a big challenge because the World Food Program had not captured the data of the resettled children in their feeding program.
Awor also highlighted the challenges of poor lighting systems, shortage of dormitories, water crisis, and understaffing.
Awor explained that they do not have enough teachers to handle the increased enrollment in the school. She added that they only have 10 teachers and they need more to cover up the gaps-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
