School Meals Resource Update

Transcription

1 WFP Kenya School Meals Resource Update WFP/Martin Karimi Highlights The current drought continues to affect the education sector across the arid counties. Firstterm enrolment in sampled schools in Wajir County remains 2 to 3 percent less than for the same period in 216. This decrease is attributed in part to migration due to drought as well as inadequate regular school feeding. Preprimary and lower primary children are most affected. School attendance is inconsistent and the rate of transition of children from early childhood development centres to primary schools is much lower than in 216. A shortage of funds caused WFP to discontinue school meals between uary and March in all seven 1 of Kenya s arid counties in which it operates, affecting 46, children. As part of the response to the ongoing drought crisis, the Government allocated KES 622 million to provide food to schools in both arid and semiarid counties affected by the drought. This highlights the strong commitment from the Government to ensure continuity of this important safety net. In the semiarid counties, these funds will be used to expand cash transfers to schools adjoining those already receiving government support (through the Home Grown School Meals Programme). This expanded HGSMP will cover areas considered to be food insecure for 5 days in term 2. In the arid counties, the funds will be used provide school meals to WFPsupported schools for 3 days in term 2. WFP will supplement this to ensure meals are provided for the remaining 4 days of term 2. Schools receiving transitional cash transfers from WFP (which cover up to 11, pupils in the urban poor settlements of Nairobi, and in Marsabit County and parts of Turkana County) are funded until the end of term 2. However, resources are required to cover ober and ember to continue supporting the gradual handover of school feeding to the governmentled Home Grown School Meals Programme. WFP greatly thanks the governments of Australia, Germany, Japan and the United States, as well as private donors, for their support to the school meals programme. 1 Baringo, Garissa, Mandera, Marsabit, Turkana, Wajir and West Pokot. 1

2 School Meals Programme Eightmonth consolidated resource availability and shortfall.93 million 2 1 Availability 8.2 million EightMonth Resource Overview Fund Availability Resource Net Requirements 8.2 million.92 million 9.12 million 6 Feb Mar Dec School Meals Programme (Food) Eightmonth resource availability and shortfall 1 Availability Feb Mar Dec School Meal Programme (Cash) Eightmonth resource availability and shortfall Availability Feb Mar Dec 2

3 Quick Facts SCHOOL MEALS PROGRAMME A story worth telling! KENYA Current enrolment of class 2 of Nasiger Primary School is 38 children but many fewer are attending. WFP 1School meals will resume across the county in term 2 ( to ust) through the governmentled Home Grown School Meals Programme and WFPsupported school meals in arid counties. 2Pockets in three arid counties (Mandera, Marsabit and Turkana) have a global acute malnutrition prevalence that surpasses 3 percent, double the threshold that WHO considers to be an emergency. 3Kenya aims to have a fully governmentfinanced school meals programme by uary 219. The Home Grown School Meals Programme is currently reaching over 1 million pupils. School Meals Programme Break in School Meals Severely Affects Education in Arid Counties As the first school term in comes to a close, many schools in Kenya s arid counties have yet to receive any food for school meals. Enrolment and attendance have been badly affected. A shortage of funds has prevented WFP from providing meals to 46, pupils since uary. Schools across Kenya s arid counties have endured a tough term 1. Owing to a funding shortfall, WFP has been unable to provide food to over 1,2 schools in the droughtaffected arid counties, throwing the education of 46, children into uncertainty. Nasiger primary school in Turkana North is one of the affected schools. Out of 388 pupils enrolled in the primary school, only 174 are present today. Out of these, we have 75 girls, said John Olwagu, the head teacher at Nasiger Primary. Community of herders Nasiger serves a community of herders. Some children come from villages as far as 25 kilometres away. This region is facing a severe drought following two failed rainy seasons. With water and pasture depleted, herders have had to move further from their villages in order to support their means of livelihood livestock keeping. My classmates have gone with their families in search of pasture and water. They will not be back until it rains, said 12yearold Lucas Ebenyo, a classfour pupil. Today, only 11 pupils are present out of 26 in class 4. Others lack the strength to come to school, said Lucas. They don t have food at home due to the drought and now there is no food in school. Since the beginning of term 1 in uary, Nasiger Primary has not had food for the primary school kids. Many have since dropped out and are either helping parents to make a living or have migrated with the family s livestock. Source: WFP Food Security Situation Update Effects on learning This school always receives food through the school meals programme. The food keeps the children in class, said Selina Asekon, the classone teacher. This term, we find the lack of food strange and it has severe effects on learning. In class 1, the enrolment list shows 46 names. However, since the school opened, only about 1 children have attended classes consistently. The biggest constraint here is food and water, said Mr Olwagu. If we don t have food and water on the opening day, the children don t return the following day. Respite in term 2 School enrolment and attendance across the arid counties has significantly dropped. Some counties have reported a drop of up to 5 percent in overall attendance, partly due to the current drought affecting food availability as well as the lack of school meals. As part of the emergency response to the drought, the Ministry of Education has procured food to meet the gap left by WFP s funding shortfall. However, the food is only arriving in schools as the term draws to a close. With the Government s food supplies and a contribution from USDA, schools in the arid counties will be able to serve hot meals for the whole of term 2. 3

4 WFP and Government School Meal Programme Support Map SOUTH SUDAN ETHIOPIA TURKANA MANDERA MARSABIT UGANDA WEST POKOT WAJIR UASINGISHU KEIYOMARAKWET BARINGO LAIKIPIA SAMBURU ISIOLO SOMALIA KISUMU NYERI THARAKANITHI EMBU GARISSA NAROK NAIROBI MACHAKOS KITUI TANZANIA KAJIADO MAKUENI TANARIVER LAMU LEGEND WFPsupported school meals programme Government Home Grown School Meals Programme In transit WFP cash transfers to schools N TAITATAVETA KWALE KILIFI MOMBASA INDIAN OCEAN County boundary Waterbodies Scale 1:5,, Kilometres The boundaries, names and designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations 4

5 Situation Map Nutrition Phase Classification Global acute malnutrition levels in Turkana North, North Horr and Mandera are critical. This situation is likely to worsen in Kenya s northeast and northwest arid counties. List of Donors in Alphabetical Order (Since 214: CP 268) Australia Canada European Union Germany Japan Kenya Multilateral Private Donors Russian Federation United States of America If you would like more information, please contact: lara.fossi@wfp.org charles.njeru@wfp or charisse.tillman@wfp.org in the Kenya office. 5