Vanessa Bennett
Project: Feeding Futures
Location: Emsworth, West Sussex
About Me
Hi, I’m Vanessa. I live near Chichester on the beautiful south coast with my husband Paul, and have three amazing young adult kids, and Chester – our very cute and cuddly cavachon. I love being outdoors, whether it’s strolling along the beach or exploring the countryside.
Africa has always held a special place in my heart, though for years I didn’t know why. In 2007, that calling became clear when, through an obvious ‘God appointment’, I met Peterson Githinji, a head teacher in rural Kenya. What started as a conversation grew into a deep friendship and a shared, God-centred vision to tackle the challenge of hunger in African schools.
Before this, I worked for the NHS in medical physics and was later a debt coach with Christians Against Poverty (CAP), helping people break free from financial stress. My time at CAP taught me something priceless: real change happens when people have options and the dignity of making their own decisions. Our role isn’t to “fix” things for them – it’s to create opportunities, walk alongside, and empower them to take charge of their future. That principle has shaped everything Peterson and I do today.
About My Project
In 2010, I co-founded Feeding Futures with my friend Peterson, who had seen children fainting in class because they hadn’t eaten for days. We began feeding pupils at his school, but soon realised that charity alone wasn’t enough – it creates dependency, isn’t sustainable, and doesn’t restore the dignity of parents who long to provide for their own children.
So we set out on a bold mission: to create a self-sustaining school meals model.
Our approach starts by partnering with school communities to build the foundations for independence. We fully fund meals for one year, then gradually hand over responsibility. Together, we set up on-site farms, build kitchens and stores, install rainwater harvesting systems, and plant trees for sustainable firewood. Parents receive training in business skills and Foundations for Farming conservation agriculture methods, which increase yields, care for the soil, and improve the environment. We also work with pastors who are often major community influencers, and if schools want it, we offer Christian discipleship alongside agricultural training, helping people grow spiritually as well as practically.
The impact has been life-changing. We’ve delivered over 3 million meals, seen school attendance and performance rise, and celebrated children becoming the first in their communities to attend university.
