Over 400 students from Pwani Vocational Secondary School for the Deaf and Uyombo Girls in Kilifi North constituency have received relief food donation from the Policy Holders Compensation Fund.
The food aid is for mitigating biting hunger as a result of the ravaging drought affecting most parts of Kilifi county.
The students were among the over 200,000 residents of Kilifi identified by the national government as most affected by drought, hence in need of relief food.
Speaking to the media at Pwani Secondary School after donating the food, PCF managing director Douglas Mburya said they were touched by the plight of the learners who, despite receiving capitation from the national government, still needed support from other organisations.
"Most of these students come from needy families and lack basic needs. That is why we find it fit to visit and share what we have with them. We are donating these foodstuffs to schools as part of our strategic objective, which entails giving back to the community through corporate social responsibility," Mburya said.
The Sh1 million food donation included maize flour, cooking oil, rice, beans, soaps and wheat flour.
"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 called on other stakeholders and well-wishers to join hands in supporting vulnerable families by donating food to mitigate the effects of drought.
Pwani Vocational head teacher Mwanakhamis Said Komora said the institution that has been in existence since 2008 depends largely on donations from well wishers since the fees being paid by parents is not enough to fund their operations.
"As we speak, 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 so as to ensure the operations of our school run smoothly," Mwanakhamis said.
Mwanakhamis urged parents not to hide children with disabilities but to enrol them in special schools.
"I want to urge parents with children with special needs not to hide them. These children deserve equal education like any other children," she said.
She said the responsibility of maintaining such institutions cannot 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 ensure no resident in Kilifi will die as a result of hunger.
