Cup of Uji, an organization dedicated to supporting school feeding programs in Kenya, received a Kshs. 2.7 million cheque from Prudential through its community investment arm, Prudence Foundation. The donation was presented at Riruta HGM Primary School in Nairobi, and underscores Prudential’s commitment to promoting children’s education in Kenya. The funds will provide a healthy breakfast to 1,000 students every day for a period of 12 months.
Prudential’s donation which is equivalent to around 270,000 cups of nutritious porridge at KSh10 per cup, will aid in retaining and enhancing the academic achievements of underprivileged children in school. By supporting the preparation of these cups of porridge, Prudential aims to promote the educational success of children from needy families, ensuring they have access to a healthy breakfast that fuels their learning.
“We are heavily invested in boosting the school-completion rate in Kenya, and we know that school feeding programs are critical in reducing the dropout rate. We have been following Cup of Uji’s work, and we are sure that our support will create lasting impact,” Prudential Kenya’s Chief Executive Officer, Gwen Kinisu, said at the handover ceremony.
Cup of Uji Founder, Francis Amonde, added: “Prudential’s generous donation will provide a meal to over 1,000 school going children struggling with inadequacies back home. The support we have received today will enable us to serve them for many school-going days.” Cup of Uji targets to reach 100,000 students by the end of 2024.
The organization currently serves 10,173 children from 11 primary schools across five counties.
Studies by the World Food Programme indicate that children who go to school hungry struggle to concentrate and learn. The World Bank adds that enhanced nutrition and health can result in improved academic performance and a decrease in dropout rates.
“There is consistent proof that school feeding improves enrollment and attendance, resulting in better academic performance and improves cognitive performance. Additionally, it helps curb malnutrition among school-going children and offers a regular source of nutrients essential for the mental and physical development of young children.” Said Ms. Kinisu.
It is against this backdrop that Prudential continually looks for opportunities to support quality nutrition standards in communities like those reached by Cup of Uji.
“Some of our students come from really needy families, where even one meal a day is a privilege, but programmes like Cup of Uji help provide the relief that is required to keep them in school. We are really pleased that Prudential has come out to provide even more support, which, I can confirm will help us see more of our students graduate,” said Rose Omollo, a teacher at Riruta HGM Primary School.
The donation to Cup of Uji adds on Prudential’s investment in education, which also includes full scholarships for 185 high school students, offered in partnership with the Kenya Education Fund (KEF).
