Food fund

In the past couple of weeks I have realized that some of the kids here seriously lack food.Two cases stand out:
Alphonse is currently living on his own with his disabled brother because his mother has HIV and TB and has therefore been at the hospital for three weeks.Kids here don't complain much so he hadn't told us he wasn't really getting any food.When we asked him where he got dinner he said him and his brother ask neighbours or beg for food but they quite often skip breakfast and lunch.
Then there is Oriva.When I first met her at the beginning of my volunteer project, she was a really happy kid but lately she has been feeling sad and sick.When I asked her why she said that when she comes home for lunch she often finds the door locked because her mother has gone off to work.Or if she can get in, there is nothing to eat (she is ten, so even if there's rice or pasta, she can't cook it).She is a bit of a neglected child, plus her mother has to work hard.
So basically I spent the past ten days buying groceries: pasta, rice, peanut butter, bread, a few fruits and vegetables.And three of the kids now stay for lunch instead of going home.
While this is easy while I'm here, I don't know what's going to happen once I'm gone.So another volunteer and myself decided to establish a food fund.What we would do is pay the supermarket in advance then if it turns out that the kids haven't had food, they can go to the shop with a coupon and get bread or other basic food in exchange.I hope it works out.While education is crucial, food is the most important thing for the moment.

I also found lots of pearls so the women I make baskets with could make jewelry for themselves and sell them at the market.They were really happy and were having a bit of a fashion show.They can be really creative.

So I'm still pretty busy (and using lunchbreak to write these blogs).I'm going to visit some of the kids families and homes tonight and next week.It should be fun even though they live in really poor neighborhoods.