Eight-year-old Aisha’s story is a stark reflection of the daily deprivation faced by thousands of children in Kibera, Africa’s largest urban slum.

After losing both parents at a tender age, Aisha was taken in by her frail grandmother, who struggled to provide even the barest essentials. Many nights, Aisha went to bed hungry, only to wake up with the same gnawing emptiness.

By the time she arrived at school each morning, hunger had sapped her strength. Too weak to concentrate, she fell behind in her lessons. Her teacher, Mrs. Wanjiku, watched the once-lively girl grow withdrawn and isolated, often sitting alone while her classmates played. For Aisha’s grandmother, the heartbreak of watching her granddaughter’s childhood and future slip away was almost too much to bear.

A turning point came when Irene Kirui, a social worker with the Kings Rugby Development Academy (KRDA), visited their home during a door-to-door outreach. Moved by their situation, Irene immediately enrolled Aisha in the KRDA Feeding Programme, which provides up to 300 vulnerable children with hot, nutritious meals each week.

Operating in one of the harshest environments in Kenya, KRDA’s mission is to give Kibera’s youth more than just food; offering hope, sport, education, and the opportunity to break free from the cycle of poverty.

Kibera remains a place where running water is scarce, electricity is unreliable, and open sewers line the streets. Yet through the efforts of KRDA, children like Aisha are seeing a different future; one where hunger does not define their day, and hope is more than just a word.