Dear Roland,
Thank you so much for your being so concerned about our needs. We are strong in what we are doing because of your support.
About the proposed renovation works at the OLPS CRC kitchen, I am glad to share with you some pictures showing the status of the kitchen and which areas need to be renovated and why. See the photos HERE
The kitchen area is about 12m2 (4m in length and 3m in width). This is where we prepare food for 93 children daily, it is also our store and washing area. The primary source of fuel is firewood. The kitchen does not have a separate dining area and the children use the classrooms as dining rooms during mealtimes.
Continued and prolonged use of firewood as the primary source of fuel produces smoke, which caused blockage along the chimney resulting in a backflow of smoke into the kitchen and into the main house. The kitchen’s inside wall is now black with a thick layer of soot. The roof is equally in a terrible state. Just like the wall, the inside part of the roof is also covered with a thick layer of soot and has caused serious damage to the iron sheets and timber. The roof is leaking whenever it rains and there is fear that it can crumble because the timber is rotten and weak.
The floor has cracks where dirt accumulates and this compromises the general hygiene of the kitchen and the quality of food that is prepared in the kitchen. Cracks make it challenging to clean the floor as well.
There is a small corridor behind the kitchen, which we use as the store for firewood. This is also a potential risk as dry firewood can catch fire anytime, resulting in big losses for the CRC.
To renovate the kitchen, we need to do the following: -
- Transitioning from firewood as the primary source of fuel to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). This requires complete installation of the entire LPG infrastructure at a cost of Kshs. 350,000.00. The proposed budget as prepared by experts in this area is attached to this email. See what this looks like HERE. We took these at a Referral Hospital here in Kisumu and St. Monica Hospital also here in Kisumu
- Clean the wall and repaint.
- Construct storage cupboards
- Redo the floor and lay ceramic tiles on the floor
- Remove the roof and replace the timber and iron sheets
- Repair the washing area by installing new concrete sinks,
- Install large windows and a new door.
The kitchen, in its current status, is a serious health and environmental hazard and puts the lives of the children and workers in danger of respiratory complications due to prolonged exposure to smoke from firewood. It is a public health concern that we have been warned by the Public Health Officers to rectify before the center is shut down. At the same time, the ministry of environment and natural resources has also directed institutions that use firewood as the primary source of fuel to seek alternative means, which are friendly to the environment. This is why we are seeking support to transition into LPG as the primary source of fuel because it is clean, efficient, and cost-effective.
By renovating the kitchen and ensuring the safety of food prepared at the kitchen, grandmothers whose children are beneficiaries of the center will not worry about the health of their grandchildren.
I have shared the photos of the kitchen for your information.
Kind regards,
Anastasia
