Over 200,000 learners in Nairobi are set to receive meals under the Dishi na County initiative as schools reopened Monday countrywide.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja on Monday said that they have increased the meals by 20,000 plates.
Speaking during the official opening of Lenana School, Sakaja assured that the food initiative will continue.
“As we launch the Lenana Primary School today, I want to commit that these learners and others in Nairobi will get food,” Sakaja said.
The county government anticipates increased learners turn up as pupils especially those affected by floods are set to turn up for the second term.
Speaking to a local radio station Monday morning, Food For Education Strategic Partnership Manager Vincent Muiruri said that the food initiative has been a catalyst to increased pupil enrolment and retention in public primary schools, hence the need to keep enhancing it.
"Last term we had around 184,000 learners benefitting. This term, we expect the number to increase. We have done enough preparations to ensure they get meals,’’ Muiruri confirmed.
Over 1,586 workers under the Dishi na County initiative working in 12 kitchens strategically set in Nairobi prepare meals and transport to various schools.
“The food cooked is sourced from different parts of the country by the Food For Education, hence empowering farmers financially. We get rice from Mwea, beans from Central and ndengu (green grams) from Western Kenya’’ Muiruri said.
Dishi na County was launched last year with the groundbreaking ceremony of 10 kitchens across the county.
The first meal was served on August 28, 2023.
In January this year, the second phase of the programme was launched increasing the number of children receiving meals to 184,000 from 80,000 meals.
This term the number of learners is expected to surpass 200,000.
Nairobi County partnered with Food4Education, a nonprofit organisation to implement the program.
Food4Education also operates in other counties including Murang’a and Mombasa.