Cows have changed the classroom experience for some schoolboys in Kenya. The animals’ milk has helped them focus.
The Naivasha Children Shelter in Kenya recently used Global Hunger Relief funds to buy two new cows. The shelter is a rehabilitation center for boys who have lived on the streets, and it focuses on reintegrating them with their families.
The cows offer multiple benefits to the boys. Previously the cows on site were old and had stopped producing milk. Staff collected an average of 15 liters per week from the two animals. The new cows produce almost the same amount per day.
“Since we bought the cows, boys are [drinking] tea with breakfast, which just wasn’t possible before,” said Paul Mwangi, the school director who also is in charge of all livestock and agriculture.
He said the boys also weren’t eating anything between their breakfast at 6:30 a.m. and lunch at 1 p.m.
“They get hungry and the boys were not concentrating, but now we can offer them a tea break at 10 a.m.,” Mwangi said. “There is a big improvement in their focus during school.”
The second benefit the cows bring to the shelter is that they teach the students how to take care of animals. Because some won’t excel in school, it’s important for staff to teach them other skills that can help them survive when they are reintegrated with their families.
When they leave, they will return home with both an education and vocational skills.
(BGR)
For more information about the Global Hunger Relief fund, visit gobgr.org.
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