Over 400 students in Kilifi North Constituency benefit from food donations.

More than  400 school-going children from Pwani Vocational Secondary School for the deaf and Uyombo girls in Kilifi North constituency, Kilifi County have benefited from the Policyholders Compensation Fund relief food donation.

The plan seeks to mitigate biting hunger due to the long drought spell that has affected most parts of Kilifi County.

The children were among the over 200,000 residents of Kilifi County identified by the National government as most affected by drought hence in need of relief food.

Speaking to a journalist at Pwani Secondary School for the deaf after donating the foodstuff, Policyholders Compensation Fund Managing Director  Douglas Mburya said that they were touched by the plight of the learner who despite receiving capitation from the national government still needed support from other Organisations to make them stay and learn comfortable.

“Most of these students come from needy background families and lack basic needs that is why we find it fit to visit and share what we have with them. We are donating this foodstuff to schools as part of our strategic objective which entails giving back to the community through Corporate Social responsibility,” said Mburya.

The 1 million foodstuff donations include Maize floor, Cooking Oil, Rice, Beans, Soaps and Wheat.

“We have donated the foodstuff so that students can get something to eat in the school and we hope it will take them to the end of the term,” he said.

Mburya also called on other stakeholders and well-wishers to join hands in supporting vulnerable families by donating food to mitigate the effect of drought.

Pwani vocational secondary school for the Deaf Headteacher Mwanakhamis Said Komora said the instruction which has been in existence since 2008 depends largely on donations from well-wishers since the fees being paid by parents are enough to fund their operation.

“As we are talking our school is facing financial constraints due to poor fee payment by parents and this is why we are appealing for more donors to come in to ensure the operation of our school goes well,” said Mwanakhamis.

Mwanakhamis urged parents not to lock away children with disabilities needs but to enrol them in special schools.

“I want to urge parents with children with special needs not to lock them away, these children deserve equal education like any other children,” she said.

However, she adds that the responsibility to maintain operation in such instructions can not be left solely to the administration and the government.

Acting Kilifi County Commissioner Geoffrey Tanui thanked the Policyholders Compensation Fund team for the gesture and assured that the government is committed to ensuring no resident in Kilifi will die as a result of hunger.