31/05/2026
From Aid to Self-Reliance: LIGHT UP HOPE Quits Kajiado
Recently, I came across a video clip in which a young Malian girl and a Burkinabé woman boldly challenged French President Emmanuel Macron. Their confidence and intellectual depth were striking. They spoke to him with conviction, addressing what they perceive as the real problems between Africa, particularly former French colonies and the Republic of France.
Long story short, the two women opposed forms of aid and development that fall short of empowering people to stand on their own feet. They argued that true development should focus on transforming mindsets, building capacity, and enabling people to solve their own problems without perpetual dependence on Europe or any external benefactors.
One point came out loudly: Western countries have channelled aid to Africa for decades, yet much of the continent continues to struggle with poverty and underdevelopment. As the Burkinabé woman asserted, *"As long as aid offered does not lead someone to freeing themselves from seeking aid, then that aid should be done away with because it turns people into slaves."*
She went on to quote the late Captain Thomas Sankara and referenced a statement attributed to an African intellectual, Mr. Joseph Kisero: *"You don't develop people; people develop themselves."* Their argument was simple yet profound. Africa does not seek charity; it seeks mutual partnership. It seeks healthy collaborations where all parties participate as equals in the continent's development.
According to them, Africa's dependence on Western nations has been deliberately cultivated over time, creating a cycle of perpetual need and dependency. Their vision is one of co-construction, where development is a shared endeavour. The Burkinabé woman concluded with a powerful statement: "If the relationship is not co-constructive, then we do not want it."
That conversation between President Macron and the two African women reminded me of a discussion I recently had with one of the leaders of the Light up Hope (LUH) programme.
For context, I have had a close working relationship with LUH. A year after the programme was launched, participating schools were asked to submit success stories demonstrating its impact. At the time, I was teaching at Namelok Entepesi Primary School, and our story was recognised as one of the most outstanding. Yours truly had the privilege of penning that success story.
However, that is not the issue.
The issue is that LUH is preparing to close its feeding programme in Kajiado County and relocate its operations to Samburu County.
As a human being, I find this deeply disappointing because I have witnessed firsthand the immense positive impact the programme has had on our communities. As a teacher, I saw how it significantly reduced truancy and absenteeism caused by hunger. Learners who would otherwise stay at home were able to attend school consistently because they were assured of a meal.
Yet herein lies the problem.
According to LUH, despite years of investment, support, and capacity-building efforts, they feel they have failed to create sustainable impact in Kajiado County.
The organisation argues that it has repeatedly encouraged schools and communities to develop long-term solutions. They have organised seminars, offered guidance, and in some cases even helped schools cultivate land so that communities could grow their own food and eventually become self-sustaining. By doing this, LUH is correcting the mistakes of the past, where the giver gives to eternity. Unfortunately, they believe that many schools have not taken these opportunities seriously.
The latest reports reportedly painted such a discouraging picture that some sponsors concluded their resources would be better utilised elsewhere. As a result, the programme is now shifting to Samburu County.
How does this relate to the conversation between the African women and President Macron?
The connection is obvious:
The two women were advocating for exactly what LUH has been trying to promote: constructive partnerships built on empowerment rather than dependence. The goal is not endless assistance but the development of people who can innovate, create opportunities, and sustain themselves long after the sponsors have departed.
Sadly, many people have become comfortable with dependency. *Rather than viewing support as a stepping stone, they view it as a permanent entitlement.*
I belong to a LUH communication WhatsApp group that brings together Heads of Institutions and programme leaders. At times, the sense of entitlement displayed there is astonishing. Whenever food deliveries are delayed, some members immediately flood the group with complaints. Reading some of the messages, one would think the programme owes them an obligation rather than offering assistance.
The feeding programme has existed for nearly five years, yet very few schools appear to have developed contingency plans for periods when deliveries are delayed. Instead of exploring local alternatives, many simply wait and complain.
If I were a sponsor, some of the conversations would be deeply concerning. They create the impression of helping people who have no intention of helping themselves.
Badly troubling are reports of misuse. One delivery man recounted an incident where an HoI allegedly loaded bags of maize and beans into a personal vehicle immediately after delivery and right in their presence.
There have also been claims of eggs and fruits intended for learners finding their way into private homes instead. Whether isolated or widespread, such practices undermine donor confidence and rob vulnerable children of the very assistance meant for them. Where some HoIs threw shame, I don't know.
And once supplies run out, some of the same individuals are among the first to request more assistance, often without any iota of accountability or sustainability.
This raises a difficult question:
Who will help Kajiado if Kajiado is unwilling to help itself?
The argument of the two African women's and the focal point of *Light Up Hope(LUH)* is the same. Sustainable development cannot be imported. It cannot be donated indefinitely. It must ultimately be built by the people themselves.
Aid and support matter, but none of them is a substitute for initiative, responsibility and self-reliance.
The future belongs not to those who wait for help, but to those who use help as a foundation upon which to build something greater.
By Clifford Maginga
