Across Kenya, an alarming number of students are collapsing on campus — not due to illness, but because they are going hungry. Reports from schools and universities reveal that many learners are forced to skip meals, leaving them weak and unable to focus in class.
In one tragic incident, pupils at a school in Kitui fainted after going without food for hours, prompting urgent calls for donations and support from local leaders. At other institutions, including public schools in Kitengela, physical education lessons have been suspended after dozens of students fainted due to hunger.
University students, particularly those from low-income families, also face this harsh reality. Some are forced to attend lectures on empty stomachs while waiting for delayed disbursements from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), leaving them vulnerable to malnutrition and exhaustion.
The consequences are serious: weakened students struggle to concentrate, risk dropping out, and suffer silently, while the learning environment is affected for all.
Authorities and student representatives are calling on parents, well-wishers, and the community to step in. Providing meals, even small contributions, can make a life-changing difference.
Let us act now — no student should have to faint in class because of hunger.
