Cake cutting session by Hesed Africa stakeholders during the launch of 'nourish a child' campaign in Westlands, Nairobi on November 29, 2025/JAMES GICHIGI
Hesed Africa has launched its flagship 'Nourish a Child' campaign in Westlands, Nairobi, intensifying calls for urgent and sustained action to address the growing crisis of child malnutrition in Kenya.
The drive, themed “A healthy child, A happy future,” seeks to mobilise resources and partnerships to improve nutrition for children under five—an age bracket experts warn is critical for lifelong development.
Speaking at the event on Saturday, Dr Richard Ayah, a Director at Radio Africa Group, issued a firm caution, underscoring child malnutrition “an irreversible national threat.”
"One of the statistics that is very damning from a public health perspective is that one out of five children has malnourished in this country. We're talking about under five," he said.
"And one of the sad things, people say it in a very polite way, but the basic point is that if you don't get your nutrition before the age of five, your brain is done for."
RAG director Dr. Richard Ayah during the launch of 'nourish a child' campaign by Hesed Africa on November 29, 2025/JAMES GICHIGI
Dr Ayah urged Kenyans to view contributions to child health not as charity but as strategic investment.
“Equity is impossible if the person next to you lacks basic necessities. When you give, you are investing in our society. This is not an abstract cause—it is a child, a child, a child. Each has a name," he stated.
His sentiments were echoed by Hesed Africa Board Chair James Nyabanda, who underscored the urgency of shifting Kenya’s social programmes away from dependence on external aid.
“For decades, we relied heavily on donor funding, but that road has become slippery and unpredictable,” he said.
“We cannot build foundations for vulnerable communities on unstable resources. Domestic financing is not just practical—it's about dignity, ownership and sovereignty. It allows us to reach last-mile families who need sustained support, not seasonal intervention.”
Hesed Africa’s Executive Director, Eunice Ngwawe, said the campaign aligns with the organisation’s mission of enhancing results for vulnerable communities through localised development approaches.
“Health, nutrition and livelihoods are our three pillars,” she said.
“Proper nutrition is fundamental for a child’s growth. Through partnerships, we treat malnourished children and empower households with skills and economic opportunities so families can support their children sustainably. To reach every undernourished child, we need every partner. Together, we can empower children and uplift communities.”
Also present was Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris, who pledged monthly support to the campaign.
“This is an important conversation. We forget we were all children once. No child should suffer malnutrition, and no mother should sleep hungry because her child has no food. Nourishment means giving the body the right vitamins and the right quantities. I commit Sh25,000 every month to support Hesed Africa’s work," she remarked.
Beneficiary Jeanine Mahirwe receiving an award during the launch of 'nourish a child' campaign by Hesed Africa on November 29, 2025/JAMES GICHIGI
During a panel session, one of the beneficiaries shared real-life impacts of the organisation’s programmes.
Jeanine Mahirwe, once a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, narrated how all four of her children once struggled with severe malnutrition before she encountered Hesed Africa.
“I have received so much help and I am happy,” she said.
“We were taught tailoring, saving, how to resist gender-based violence and how to raise our children. We earned income, the children ate well, and they now attend school. I pray that Hesed gains more strength and more resources to help even more people.”
The campaign aims to raise Sh25 million to expand support for under-five children and build a future where no child is denied the chance to thrive.
In it's vision, the company envisions a Nutrition Hub aimed at becoming a centralised centre of excellence for child health, offering screening, treatment and caregiver training under one roof.
