Simenya
From Past to Present
The Simenya sub-location is an agriculturally rich region located in the Ugunja division, in the Siaya district of the Nyanza province. Unfortunately, the breathtaking hills and plethora of foliage cannot hide the extreme poverty and malnutrition that coexists within the region. Due to HIV/AIDS and malaria, many of the working-age individuals are dying leaving their children as orphans to be cared for by grandparents.
According to Kenya’s Department of Health, 700 Kenyans die daily of AIDS. The number of persons in Kenya infected with HIV/AIDS is currently estimated to be 2.4 million. In Siaya District, the estimated number of people with HIV/AIDS in 2007 was over 400,000. The HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is at 38.4%. The 15-29 year-old age-group is most affected accounting for 75% of HIV/AIDS cases.
Implications
The combination of HIV/AIDS, and malnutrition is leaving a generation of young people with poor diets and little agricultural knowledge. The Simenya Primary School has attempted to implement a school feeding program, but only a few families can afford the small amount of money to participate. Many children eat their first meal of the day at 8:00 at night. Randiga, the headmaster of Simenya primary School has asked, “How can we teach the hungry?”
In the past, school garden projects have been in existence in the Kenyan school system through 4K-Clubs, and agriculture was taught as one the compulsory subject to all children in primary schools. Currently however, these 4K-Clubs are not in existence and agriculture is no longer a subject in the Kenyan Primary Education curriculum. The subject is, however, taught only in High school as an optional subject. An integrated school gardening program would provide essential the variety and quality of children’s diets and increase knowledge and skills in the agricultural field.