... with World Vision's Stuart Thomson
Hey, 40 Hour Famine people!
Have you ever wondered if the money you raise really helps? Recently, I had the chance to find out.
In June 2010, I visited a World Vision nutrition project in Laisamis, Kenya. Money raised from last year’s (2009) 40 Hour Famine has been supporting this project.
I travelled with World Vision field officer Alex.
He told me that the rains came to Laisamis this year after many years of drought. This brought great relief, but life is still difficult there. Thanks to young people doing the 40 Hour Famine, 
though, conditions for many kids in Laisamis is improving.
World Vision is working with the Kenyan Ministry of Health to provide emergency food to malnourished children.
The kids are given a high energy food called 'Plumpy Nut' (which, when it was developed, was inspired by Nutella!).
Distributing food in this way is very important in communities facing extreme hunger. But there’s much more to World Vision’s work.
“We must also closely monitor children in the community to see how they are progressing,” said Alex.
“So we know that our work is really making a difference.”Alex said sometimes this means working with the local hospital, “making sure the children and mothers receive the support they need”.
Responding to hunger is essential, but World Vision also does a lot of work to prevent it in the first place. Sitting under a tree, I met with a “Mother to Mother” group (see below for a pic), whose members share information around good nutrition and hygiene.
These groups are growing within the area and are facilitated by a Community Health Worker. 
The knowledge they bring will help prevent disease for the long-term, making World Vision’s work more sustainable.
A highlight of the trip was meeting a young girl named Beatrice, who met with the 40 Hour Famine team last year.
She is well and happy and attending school. When she saw us she was so happy, and wanted to show Alex the work she had been doing at school. She told us that World Vision is trying their hardest to make life in this community better.
I couldn’t agree more, and with people like Alex working tirelessly to make the lives of these children better, I am sure we will succeed.
Below left to right: Alex with a mother at a hospital in Laisamis, Kenya; Beatrice shows Alex her reading skills and some women at the 'Mother to Mother' group.
