The worst drought in decades.
So They Can is launching an emergency appeal to fund emergency food relief for our students in Baringo County, Kenya, who are currently experiencing one of the most alarming food crises in decades.
Severe drought, due to the failure of four consecutive rainy seasons, means millions of people in the country are facing hunger and thirst.
Baringo County is one of the most affected areas, with students and families facing high levels of acute food insecurity — and there is no end in sight.
So They Can currently supports 4,183 students from 9 public primary schools in the region. For the majority of these children, the meal they receive at school as part of the school feeding program is the only meal they receive in a day — however right now this vital program is unable to continue due to crops failing despite all efforts to save them.
$58,000 is what we need to raise to feed all of the students in our 9 partner schools for the coming term. Please donate now.
Help us ensure food security for 4000+ students.
Donate now and be the difference.
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How the drought is affecting students in Baringo County.
Students dropping out of school.
So They Can's team in Kenya estimates that school attendance rates will drop by approximately 60% due to vital school feeding programs being unable to continue.
In this final term of the academic year this could have life-long consequences for the approximately 1,000 students who are preparing to sit for their final exams.
For girls, the threat of dropping out of school is even more alarming – child marriage and female genital cutting (FGC) are still very common in Baringo County. A girl who drops out of school is less likely to be saved from these traditional practices, instead being forced to undergo FGC, before being sold off as a child bride to a much older man.
Future proofing communities.
As part of So They Can's Education Program and our focus on sustainable development, we are working to ensure that all our partner schools have a reliable source of water so they can establish school farms, which are able to sustain their feeding programs.
Of course, these sustainable solutions involve a high level of investment and planning — and in the meantime, this devastating drought continues to persist, leaving students hungry and vulnerable.
Will you help us keep students fed, in school and learning while we work on a long-term strategy to ensure food security for every one of our partner schools in Baringo County?
Invest in the future.
If you are passionate about sustainable development and looking for ways to make a real difference through impact investing, we would love to discuss funding opportunities with you. Please email our Co-Founder and CEO, Cassandra Treadwell.