Lake Turkana Wind Power to feed 17,700 pupils in Marsabit

Lake Turkana Wind Power Company has launched a two-month emergency primary schools feeding programme in Laisamis constituency of Marsabit county to complement government efforts in fighting hunger.

The firm released food rations worth Sh 17 million that would guarantee 17,700 pupils in the constituency lunch every day until January. 

Speaking when he officiated the launch of the programme Thursday, Marsabit county commissioner Paul Rotich said the gesture would ensure pupils in the targeted 67 primary schools went on with learning uninterrupted to the conclusion of this year's school calendar.

Rotich also seized the opportunity to advise local parents against withdrawing their sons from school to practice moranism, which is linked to livestock theft in the region.

Instead, he asked them to take their children to school now that both the government and partners were in support of the endeavour.

He directed chiefs to work diligently and ensure that all children of school age are enrolled without exception and not to be entrusted with household chores that rob them of a chance for a bright future.

The CC underlined the need for result-oriented mechanisms to counter climate change, which he blamed for the severe drought and famine that afflict many local households.

LTWP site manager Felix Rottmann said after the prolonged drought disrupted sources of livelihood for the local pastoralist communities, the firm made similar support in January and decided to continue with the programme.

“We are aware that the country is experiencing a prolonged drought situation and LTWP has decided to continue this programme as part of our continued commitment to support and empower local communities across Laisamis constituency,” he noted.

Rottman added that the drought has made it difficult for schools to secure food to feed children, a situation that has been made worse by the nomadic nature of local communities who have to migrate in search of water and pasture for their livestock

As a result, 34 per cent of children in Laisamis constituency are reported to have dropped out of school.

Rottmann said that the programme was important for the continuity of the pupils’ education, adding that the previous Emergency Food Relief Programme in which the firm spent Sh12. 8 million in support of 13,000 pupils in 60 public primary schools was meaningful and successful.

“We are thus happy to partner with the schools’ managements again, especially after seeing that the number of pupils has increased from 13,000 to 17,700,” said the site manager, adding that LTWP would under the programme provide sufficient food to feed each pupil daily across the 67 primary schools.

 The drought situation in Marsabit is dire and the initiative would greatly bolster the government efforts to ward off starvation and save lives now that President William Ruto has declared the drought a national disaster.

LTWP community liaison manager Job Lengoiyap said the food donation comprised 124 tons of maize, 33 tons of beans, 3,730 litres of cooking oil and 1,480kg of salt, which would be distributed directly to the schools by the company.

Lengoiyap pointed out that the amount of food donated might not be enough and appealed to more organisations to join hands to cushion local communities affected by the drought.

 “We are calling on corporate organisations and individuals to collaborate towards alleviating the chronic food insecurity challenge affecting communities, especially schools, which are the backbone of our future generation,” he said.

Through its Winds of Change Foundation, the firm also undertakes sustainable community development projects within its operation area.

Under WoC, the wind firm has funded and supervised 52 socio-economic dimensional projects at an approximate cost of Sh320 million that have accelerated development and transformed lives of residents not only through employment but also in the education and health sectors.

 These include building and equipping dispensaries, improvement of schools through the building of classrooms, laboratories, dormitories and administrative blocks and drilling of boreholes.

According to a joint statement by the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands Humanitarian Network, the ASALs region of Kenya, which includes Laisamis constituency, has endured three severe droughts in the last decade (2010-2011, 2016-2017, and 2020-2022).

 The current drought has been the most severe and longest, with extensive livelihood losses and huge displacement of populations. 

Edited by Henry Makori