Nyamwanga Primary School Kitchen
In partnership with One World Group Oxted & Souter
Transforming Meals into Opportunity
Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of One World Group Oxted, the kitchen at Nyamwanga Primary School has undergone a complete transformation - improving safety, efficiency and dignity in the preparation of school meals. Plus, the school’s shamba has been fenced and made secure, thanks to a donation from Souter Charitable Trust.
Nyamwanga is a rural community approximately two hours from Kisumu, Kenya, where poverty, limited infrastructure and constrained economic opportunities create daily challenges for families. Despite this, the school has become a place of joy - where young children gather, eager to learn and grow.
The Need: Safe Spaces & Nutritious Meals
For years, the school’s kitchen was a semi-permanent structure made from corrugated metal, poorly ventilated and unsafe for the dedicated cooks who prepared daily meals. Open fires and smoke created harsh, hazardous working conditions, while the lack of secure storage and work surfaces made food preparation inefficient.
At Nyamwanga, food isn’t just sustenance - it is fuel for learning. Before Boo increased food support, many students walked kilometres to school on empty stomachs, struggling to focus and often leaving early because they could not concentrate due to hunger.
The Transformation: A Kitchen That Works
With support from One World Group Oxted, Boo was able to:
Demolish the old unsafe structure
Build a permanent brick and concrete kitchen with large windows, proper ventilation and a secure metal door
Create a storeroom for safely storing beans and maize grown on the school’s shamba
Install a purpose-built work surface to improve food preparation conditions
Install a custom gas cooker with a year’s supply of gas for safer, cleaner and more efficient cooking
The impact was immediate: the cooks now prepare meals in a healthier, safer environment, and the kitchen supports the daily feeding of hundreds of children.
Why It Matters
A safe, functional kitchen goes beyond bricks and mortar - it directly contributes to:
Improved Health & Safety: eliminating smoke-filled conditions and open fire hazards, especially for women cooks who work long hours.
Enhanced Meal Quality & Efficiency: allowing cooks to prepare nutritious meals more efficiently for all students.
Increased School Attendance: when children know they will receive a meal, they are more likely to attend and stay focused in class.
Food Security: the addition of secure storeroom space helps preserve crops grown on the school’s shamba, reducing waste and improving food planning.
In rural areas like Nyamwanga, food and education are deeply linked; a safe kitchen contributes directly to learning outcomes and long-term wellbeing.
The New kitchen
Head Teacher Madame Toto, the school board, teachers, parents and students all expressed deep gratitude for the project. For them, the new kitchen is more than a building - it is an opportunity for more meals to be cooked, more children to learn, and more young people to build brighter futures.
BEFORE
DURING
AFTER
Giving opportunity, not charity.
For over twenty years, our mission has been to create platforms for change - opening new paths through education, empowerment, and entrepreneurial skills.
Nyamwanga is a reminder that simple infrastructure improvements can create powerful, long-lasting impact in a child’s life. However, this is only the beginning - there is more to be done to support the school lunch programmes, learning materials, teachers, and infrastructure.
You can help ensure that every child at Nyamwanga has the fuel, safety and opportunity to learn.
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