Nothing is wasted

Pictures of hungry people who are not on the beneficiary list and are picking up the corn that was spilled onto the ground, at first it’s hard to watch. When I first saw corn and peas spilled during the distribution process I talked to a person in charge. I discussed how we might do things differently because I didn’t feel right about food going to waste. But by the end of the distribution as I watched every kernel being picked up I was reminded of the Bible story of Boaz and Ruth when Boaz told his workmen to leave extra grain in the field for the gleaners who would follow the harvesters and pick up anything that was left behind. But it was still hard to watch little children and aged women down in the dirt scooping up handfuls of sand and sorting through it to get every kernel.

Measuring at Distribution

The beneficiaries themselves divide up the food and oil after they receive it. They carry the maize and oil to an uncrowded area and divide it according to their family size. The larger the family, the more food they receive. The oil is not given by family size; each family must divide a geri can of oil, which once it is divided is about 6 cups per family. This oil will maybe last them two weeks depending how much they use each day. Oil is very precious for the cooking of their food and is divided very carefully. The pictures show them dividing the oil and maize; we know that if the Kenyans themselves divide the food and oil the measurements will be accurate and fair.