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Plans are underway for children in public schools and ECDE within Nairobi to get free meals in the Financial Year 2023-24.
On Monday, Governor Johnson Sakaja presided over the groundbreaking of 10 kitchens which are part of Sakaja’s School Feeding Program, Dishi na County.
The groundbreaking took place in Dagoretti North, Embakasi Central, Embakasi South, Kasarani, Kibra, Makadara, Starehe, Roysamu, Ruaraka, and Westlands.
Sakaja said the Sh1.2 billion annual project is part of a vision he had for years, to ensure the provision of a daily nutritionally balanced hot meal for all children in public primary schools and public Early Childhood Development Centers.
With the new plan underway, the programme targets to feed about 250,000 children in Nairobi enrolled in public primary schools and public ECD Centres.
“Nutritious meals will be cooked in these central kitchens and the meals transported in special sealed containers and special vehicles to keep the meals safe from contamination and keep them warm, to surrounding schools,” Sakaja said.
Each kitchen is expected to produce about 10,000 nutritional meals daily which will be distributed across each ward.
It will cost Sh5 for schoolchildren in public schools and ECDEs within Nairobi to get free meals.
Construction of the 10 central kitchens are based in the following sites: Starehe – Racecourse Primary, Makadara-Bidii Primary, Kasarani – Njiru Primary, Roysambu-Roysambu Primary and Embakasi Central-Kayole One Primary.
In Dagoretti North, the kitchen will be based at Muthangari Primary, Kibra-Toi Primary, Westlands-Farasi Lane Primary, Ruaraka-Baba Dogo Primary and Embakasi South-Kwa Njenga Primary.
For the learners whose parents will not be able to afford the Sh5, the County will work hand in hand with the private sector, individuals and corporates to fund a nutritionally balanced meal a day for children who are unable to afford it.
In addition, Governor Sakaja has called on well-wishers to support the programme which will ensure that vulnerable children get meals while in school.
“We call on other partners, private sector, individuals, and foundations among others to come on board to support this program in ensuring our children have a hot meal daily,” he said.
The actual feeding is expected to start on the first day of the third term of this year’s school calendar. BY THE STAR