THE ORCHARDS OF HOPE IN KILIFI, DUAL BENEFIT
In 2020, my initial visit to Shomani Girls left a lasting impression. The school, then in its infancy, housed just 47 students. Nestled in a semi-arid landscape, it lacked even the most basic amenities, such as shelter from the relentless sun. Despite these challenges, the students, driven by their thirst for knowledge, traversed long distances from the deep village of Madunguni 16 km away from the School, often arriving weary and hungry. I vividly recall the pained expressions on their faces during breaks, a poignant reminder of their daily struggles. One conversation with a student, let us call her, Halima. unveiled a heartbreaking reality. Halima recounted a journey of over 16 kilometers without breakfast, her only sustenance being a meager portion of porridge the night before. At home, her five siblings endured similar hardships, surviving primarily on cassava, their mainstay since its planting in February 2020. The irony was not lost on me: fertile land lay idle both at the schoo