By volunteer Janine Scott
It’s dinner time, the kids are hungry and you think about what to cook. A flick of a switch and the oven is on. Short on time? Pop on your microwave.
Mama Rhoda and Chef Pamela at Saidia have a very different cooking regime. A weekly menu is adhered to and mostly consists of beans, rice and greens. The babies will have mashed potatoes and tomatoes. With 60 kids to feed, mealtimes are started early. The outdoor kitchen is a blackened shell of a building, open to the elements by the mesh windows, and a hole-ridden roof. It houses two huge fire pits that are used to balance big stainless-steel pots on and cook rice and beans. The smaller fire pit will be used to boil potatoes and fry off the greens. When the fire is started, various materials are used, generally rubbish from Saidia which could include coated materials as well as items that are paper-based. Wood is then added to bring everything up to a possible gas mark of 4 or 180 degrees. Soon the kitchen is filled with smoke.
As a nurse, I know the negative impact wood smoke has on our health. It contains a mixture of gases, fine particles and toxic air pollutants such as formaldehyde. The fine particles get into eyes, and can cause asthma, trigger heart issues, respiratory infections, pneumonia, and long-term eye problems. As part of their chores, all our children at Saidia are in the wood smoked kitchen. With a cooker hood that is on its last legs, a chimney that has blown and a toxic environment for cooking, it is time to plan for our children’s long-term health.
We are planning a Big Build in April 2025!
This includes a total refurbishment of the kitchen. We are planning to install a LPG system that will fuel a two burner stove. Along with a new roof, cooker hood and chimney, the cooking facilities will be safe and waterproof. New flooring and wall tiles will make it more modern and hygienic. The store area next to the kitchen will also be tiled with shelving and two large grain silos will be installed to enable storage of bulk bought cereals. Finally, with metal doors and new window grills, our new building will be secure. For a finishing touch we are adding concrete seats outside so the staff and children have more comfortable places to sit and with the addition of some new ramps, the area will be more accessible to Jill, our wheelchair user.
How are we going to do this? We have a team of UK builders who are travelling out in April 2025 as part of the volunteer trip to make the magic of the Big Build happen. We have got a quote from Paul, our trusted Kenyan builder, and he will work alongside the British team. Obviously, we have to fundraise for this and we are hoping you can help! We are hoping to raise approx £15,000 / $19,000k. It’s a big number but we know we can raise this with your help.
£70 will buy a new metal door
£60 will help shelve the kitchen
£300 will buy one LPG tank
We are working with Rotary clubs in Gilgil, UK and California to help, but if you are looking to make a larger investment, for £5,000 you would have naming rights for the new kitchen. Please join us in this campaign and help get rid of the wood smoke from our children’s eyes!
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