The Lake Turkana Wind Power company (LTWP) has launched a two month Emergency Food Relief program set to benefit about 13,000 primary school pupils. The program will provide pupils with a meal per day from January 10th to March 10th, 2022, as part of the company’s commitment to support and empower the local communities in Laisamis Constituency.
As a result of the drought, schools are increasingly lacking food to feed children, especially in the arid and semi arid regions of the country. Consequently, and combined with the fact that families must migrate in search of water, more children are dropping out of school. LTWP will be donating food worth over 12 million shillings, to be distributed directly to the schools by LTWP’s Community Liaison Team using LTWP vehicles.
Over the years, LTWP has initiated multiple projects and initiatives that have seen education, employment, and health benefits to the local communities. The projects include construction of multiple health facilities, refurbishment of several schools, drilling of boreholes and many more ongoing projects that continue to serve the local communities across the county.
Most recently, LTWP implemented a water delivery program in September and October 2021, whereby water was regularly delivered to communities around the regions of South Horr, Kargi, Mt. Kulal, Korr, Namarei, Sunyai and Oibor. This program is still ongoing as the drought continues to disrupt local livelihoods.
Speaking at the program launch event LTWP CEO, Mr. Phylip Leferink, said, “The drought situation in Northern Kenya and especially in Marsabit is dire. We as LTWP have ramped up our drought assistance program that started with the provision of water to communities around our wind farm to provision of food to all primary schools across Laisamis Constituency. We will provide sufficient food to feed each primary school pupil daily, in all sixty primary schools located in Laisamis constituency.”
The National Government, through the County Commissioner lauded LTWP’s initiative, and called on more organizations to join hands to cushion local communities affected by the drought. “We welcome other organizations to help communities affected by natural disasters. Our role includes building resilient relationships that directly support all aspects of families’ wellbeing. We can make a difference if governments, organizations, and the private sector act swiftly to meet the needs of affected communities,” said the County Commissioner Marsabit, Mr. Paul Rotich.