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School feeding programmes are only possible thanks to the bright minds and fearless visionaries behind the Food4Education project.
At the age of 21, Wawela Ngiru embarked on a journey that has now grown into a well-known and influential organization.
With a passion for change and a determination to challenge the status quo, Ngiru continues to push boundaries and pave the way for change.
Ngiru went from feeding 25 children in the Mabati kitchen to a kitchen with 60,000 plates, feeding more than 350,000 children in five counties.
Ngiru, a nutrition graduate from the University of South Australia, is making a difference in the lives of Kenyan children by creating a positive learning environment for them.
“I wanted to do something to give back to the community and make an impact on education because my parents were sponsored by the school,” she said.
“They grew up poor, so I wanted to do something to help other kids get opportunities.”
With the help of parents, Ngiru found schools in need where children might go hungry, some so hungry that they might pass out in class.
The CEO said the organization took shape while she was studying in Australia, raising funds through friends and remitting funds back home.
“Through a small fundraiser, I cooked for about 80 people. I cooked Kenyan food for them and the money raised ended up going towards building a kitchen in the country,” she said.
“I ate three meals a day and was much better off than other people; I knew my parents struggled to provide for the family. I grew up knowing that if you don’t have food, your life is a mess,” she said.
Ngiru can be described as a selfless person who wholeheartedly helps those in need.
She recounted an unforgettable incident from her childhood.
“My mom used to freeze food, and one time I was hanging out with my friends and I realized they had nowhere to go for food. After lunch, you could find it right where you put the food,” she said.
“One day I took frozen guisse out of the freezer and gave them to them, and now that I think about it, I was just a kid and I was just responding to something that was pretty obvious.”
Ngiru said hunger is an insult to people because it makes them unable to do anything and concentrate, and there is no other solution to it.
She said she’s been inspired by the journey she’s been on and the growth and lessons she’s learned along the way.
“In the next three to five years we want to feed one million children every day and we are looking at how we can achieve that and make sure more children have food and we have more kitchens,” she said.
Ngiru said the agency is seeking to attract other African countries interested in school feeding programs to join.
She said the project was growing and had now expanded to rural areas such as Wasingishu, Nyeri and Muranga.
Food for Education has kitchens in Kiambu, Kisumu and Mombasa.
She said that as a 21-year-old she started the initiative but seemed to be dismissed because of her youth.
However, this did not stop her from working towards her goal. She was determined.
“That’s a big challenge for young people to overcome because it’s hard to create something new when you can’t share your ideas,” she said.
Ngiru said young people can only overcome these challenges with the support of their families and friends.
“I went to many places to pitch my ideas. Some people listened, while others said no. I took it as a challenge, did what they asked, and got results. That’s how I succeeded.”
“People will use that to dismiss you, like you just can’t do it. I think young people are smart and it’s really important that they get all the support they need.”
She said school meals not only reduce hunger and improve health, but can also have a long-term impact by increasing a country’s productivity.
This year, the Food Education Foundation received the 2024 Skoll Foundation Social Innovation Award and was named one of the 100 most influential companies by Time magazine.
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