Funds Distribution

All money raised through Eat So They Can benefits the Global Children's Fund, set up especially to aid children living in poverty. In 2007, the very first Eat So They Can fundraiser raised an amazing US$37,000 for the Kenyan Children's Fund. In June 2008, Courtney Montague, GVN-Foundation’s Executive Director distributed food, funds and supplies to schools and orphanages along with Grand Prize winner Jeanne Sweetman. A breakdown of the funds distribution is listed below.

Thank you to all of the ESTC hosts and participants for your contribution and support. We hope to see you again for Eat So They Can 2009!

Cheryl's Children's Home

With $500 US, we were able to feed over 235 children at Cheryl's. This money bought:

2 Bags of sugar
100kg of rice
180kg of porridge flour
6 bags of Ugali flour
2 bags of Green grams (lentils)

Money was also allocated to Cheryl's to help with re-building the dorms and kitchen. Future ESTC funds will also be allocated towards this so the children can sleep safely at night.

Mama Tunza (Kibera)

Mama Tunza's orphanage and school is situated in Kibera, the second largest slum in the world. We were able to allocate them funds for food for over 500 children.

With $500 US we bought:

140kg of Maize
100kg of Beans
4 Boxes of cooking fat
100kg of Rice
2 Bags of sugar

Eat So They Can funds will also be used to invest in the future, by paying for Mama Tunza, the woman who cares for these children, to receive an education.

Siloam (Kibera)

Siloam, an orphanage and school like Mama Tunza's is also located in Kibera and has over 300 children attending the school. Many also sleep in the dorms at night. The children in the picture are helping to carry food bought with funds from Eat So They Can 2007.

Again, $500 US went a long way:

140kg of Maize
100kg of Beans
4 Boxes of cooking fat
100kg of Rice
2 Bags of sugar

Money from last years' fundraiser also contributed towards the cost of medical care for one of the children at Siloam.

St. Mary's

St. Mary's in Nyeri has over 700 boys attending their school, many whom also live at the school. With $750 US we were able to buy some food supplies for them including:

5 Bags of sugar
250kg of Rice
100 packets of tea leaves

As well as food, money from Eat So They Can was used to provide St. Mary's school with:

15 school desks
A donation to fix the roof in the boys dorm
A donation to fix the food storage unit

The picture was taken in the boys dorm where the roof needs to be fixed. This money will ensure that the boys who sleep at the school can sleep safely at night. Fixing the food storage unit will mean the children are no longer constantly breathing in dust and food is not becoming affected with mould due to moisture.

Nangolie Children's Home

Thanks to the hosts and their guests from Eat So They Can 2007, Nangolie received $625 US for food for the 28 children who live at the home and were able to buy:

210kg of Maize
4 Boxes of cooking fat
150kg of Rice
2 Bags of green grams
10kg of Wheat flour

This photo shows the food drop at Nangolie. Not only were funds used to provide food for the children, additional money was spent on providing:

3 Two-level beds
6 Mattresses
6 Medium/thick blankets

This ensures that the children at Nangolie have a bed to sleep in at night.

Shelter Children's Home

Shelter Children's Home is a 'model' orphanage full of happy, healthy and educated children. This year, they received $1000 US worth of food:

350kg of Maize
150kg of Beans
150kg of Rice
1 Bag of sugar
1 bag of green grams
100 bars of soap
4 bales of wheat flour
3 bales of tissue paper
2 boxes of sanitary pads

Eat So They Can is investing in the future of the children at Shelter by providing funding to cover school fees for 176 children for the next semester.

Sons of Manasseh

This orphanage is another great example of happy children who have their basic needs met by the hard working orphanage directors, Joseph and Beatrice. $500US bought:

140kg of Maize
100kg of Beans
100kg of Rice
2 Bags of sugar
4 Boxes of cooking fat

Olo-Oshobar

Eat So They Can were delighted to be able to provide 10 new school desks to Olo-Oshobar school in Maasai land.

No longer will four children have to share a small desk.

Ngando Prep School

The children who attend Ngando Prep school are looked after well and have enough food. Sadly, they were lacking in school materials to educate over 300 children.

Eat So They Can donated $500 US to Ngando for school supplies such as:

Felt pens
Dustless chalk
Pencils
Textbooks
Teacher's Guides
Manilla paper
Polythene covered paper
Exercise books

The children fron Ngando, pictured above, had prepared songs and dances to show their thanks for the hosts whose events made this possible. Sign up to be a host this year and you will recieve a DVD which will include the songs and dances from the children of Ngando.

Il Nroje

Money from Eat So They Can 2007 was able to buy 10 new desks for the students at this school in the Maasai land.

We are also interested in fixing the fence at this school, at the moment, the children often arrive at school to find their classrooms occupied by the local wildlife.

El Shaddai

El Shaddai is one of the poorest and neediest orphanages that Eat So They Can helps. As a GVN volunteer said after the food and bed drop, "They just needed food and hope." Our hosts, through their events, have been able to provide this for the orphanage directors Steven and Beatrice and the 115 children at El Shaddai.

With $2000US, we were able to buy:

100kg of Rice
100kg of Beans
100kg of Maize
2 bags of sugar
2 bags of green grams
4 boxes of cooking fat

Along with the food, El Shaddai also recieved:

10 Three-level beds
30 Mattresses
30 Thick, warm blankets

The children at this orphanage will have food in their stomach and a warm bed to sleep in at night thanks to funds raised for Eat So They Can 2007.

Read about Courtney and Jeanne's experiences in Africa as they distribute funds from Eat So They Can 2007 on their blog.

Help us reach our goal this year by signing up to host a meal. Simply click here to register as a host for Eat So They Can 2009.