In May of 2008, GPF President and Founder, Randy Russell traveled to Malawi and Kenya in his capacity as Chairman of Friends of the World Food Program to see first hand the work the World Food Program is doing at local feedings sites. To listen to an interview of the trip, please click here. What follows below is an entry from his travel journal:
“I sit here in the lounge of Nairobi Airport thinking about the kids I met yesterday at St. Elizabeth’s School. The poverty around the school is astounding. These kids are talented, full of life and generally healthy due to the school feeding programs, etc. But what happens after primary school without more educational opportunities (it cost money to go to school post-primary), what becomes of these kids? Even if they go to secondary school, the Kenyan economy is not producing many jobs. Those in the slums try to sell whatever they can - but without more manufacturing, processing, agriculture production and processing, there is not the money in the economy for people to buy more products. Kenya’s infrastructure is horrible.There is no social safety net for those at the bottom of the economic scale. This country has vast capabilities and an abundance of labor - - that is not being utilized. The recent tribal clash in Western Kenya will not help attract new foreign investment in Kenya. Unfortunately, Kenya now looks much like so many other African nations with political unrest, weak leadership and a poor economy. When 60+ % of Nairobi’s population of 3 million live in slums, something is horribly wrong with the system. The hope I saw in the kid’s eyes at St. Elizabeth School, dissolves after primary school because of so limited opportunities afterwards. Unfortunately, a vast majority will follow the path of their parents in the “slum economy”. This pattern will not be broken until there is a change in the mindset. We need to move beyond just feeding people - - we need to help them have a future - - jobs, better housing, health care. If not the cycle will continue - - leading to hopelessness. Where is the leadership within Kenya and throughout much of Eastern Africa that can begin to address this mindset?”
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