Governor Sakaja on Thursday said
the initiative is driven by a 34 perc ent increase in student enrollment since
the launch of the Dishi na County programme.
“Plans are already underway to
build more classrooms to meet the growing demand,” Sakaja said.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja during a stakeholders' meeting in Nairobi on October 31, 2024/HANDOUTNairobi Governor Sakaja Johnson has announced plans to construct additional classrooms to accommodate the growing student population in local schools.Speaking at a stakeholders’ and media roundtable meeting in Nairobi on Thursday, Sakaja said the initiative is driven by a 34 per cent increase in student enrollment since the launch of the Dishi na County programme.“We are committed to ensuring that we can accommodate more learners. Plans are already underway to build more classrooms to meet the growing demand,” Sakaja said.In partnership with the national government, the county is set to invest Sh1 billion in expanding educational facilities to accommodate the increasing number of learners.He thanked President William Ruto for the partnership.
Governor Sakaja emphasised the importance of proper governance structures to manage the initiative effectively.
He underscored his commitment to accountability, which has facilitated the establishment of 17 central kitchens across the county, providing meals for more than 310,000 learners.“I will not tolerate any misuse of funds in this noble cause of feeding our children. I thank my team for their dedication and hard work in making this a success,” the governor stated, reinforcing his administration’s focus on educational support and child welfare.Health and Nutrition CEC Suzanne Silantoi said that 14 months after the launch of Nairobi County’s Dishi na County initiative, the county has become a leader in universal school feeding programmes.Nairobi County Health and Nutrition CEC Suzanne Silantoi during a stakeholders' meeting in Nairobi on October 31, 2024/HANDOUT
The programme provides meals to all school children every school day throughout the year.
“Most feeding programmes
focus on minority and vulnerable groups for selected days in the school year,”
she explained.
Founder of Food 4
Education Wawira Njiru highlighted the program’s positive impact, saying it has
made it possible for underprivileged children to access education without the
worry of hunger.
“Hungry learners
struggle academically, and that’s what we aim to address. We want our kids in
Nairobi to be well-fed so they can learn effectively,” she added.
Dishi na County
Director Esther Mogusu highlighted the importance of the Dishi na County
program, noting its impact in feeding over 310,000 children.
She explained that
similar programmes have been attempted before, dating back to the 1970s with the
well-known Maziwa ya Nyayo initiative launched under President Moi.
“We’re thrilled to be
feeding even more children this time,” Mogusu said.
“While President Moi
provided milk through Maziwa ya Nyayo, Governor Sakaja is now serving
nutritious hot meals, which is real progress."
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