Donation of Food and Water Tank to Manduru Primary School

Manduru Primary School is located in Tharaka North Constituency and serves approximately 200 pupils, teachers, and parents. The school experiences significant challenges related to food insecurity and water shortages. These challenges have contributed to absenteeism among learners, as many students are unable to stay in school throughout the day without proper meals or access to safe water.

In response to concerns raised by the head teacher, Her Excellency initiated an intervention to support the school’s immediate and long-term needs. She donated food supplies sufficient to feed learners for an entire school term, in alignment with Ministry of Education feeding standards, which recommend 150g of maize/rice and 40g of legumes per child per meal. The donation included maize, rice, beans, cooking oil, and salt.

To address the water scarcity, Her Excellency further donated a 25,000-litre water tank to enable rainwater harvesting for drinking, cooking, and hygiene purposes. Beyond meeting basic needs, Her Excellency also shared her vision of establishing a small drip-irrigation garden within the school to introduce learners to modern farming practices. This initiative aims to empower pupils with practical agricultural knowledge applicable both at school and at home, and to eventually supplement their dietary needs with fresh produce grown onsite.

Although Her Excellency could not attend the event personally, her executive assistant, Ms. Celestine Sabatian, represented her during the official handover and delivered encouragement to the learners and school community.

Overall Significance of the Event

The event was a compassionate and strategic intervention aimed at addressing immediate humanitarian needs while laying the foundation for sustainable, long-term solutions. By providing food and a large-capacity water tank, Her Excellency responded directly to challenges that hinder learner attendance, well-being, and academic performance. The vision for a drip-irrigated school garden reflects a forward-looking approach empowering learners through hands-on agricultural skills, enhancing nutrition, and building resilience in a drought-prone region.

Ultimately, the essence of the event lies in uplifting a vulnerable school community, restoring dignity to learners, and promoting sustainability through education, nutrition, and improved access to water.

Event Gallery