The First Lady, Mama Rachel Ruto, met dairy sector stakeholders Friday, including the Kenya dairy board and 40 milk processors, to discuss the ongoing advocacy for a national school milk program in the Country.
The dairy processors promised support for the school program because of its nutritional and economic value.
“Many of us recall the impact of the Maziwa ya Nyayo program, a national school initiative that supplied children in public schools with milk, boosting nutrition and school attendance. We seek to build upon that legacy,” Mama Rachel Ruto said.
Through the Feed One End Hunger initiative, the First Lady is championing the establishment of a national school milk programme to benefit every child in public primary schools.
The First Lady has launched a pilot program in Migori and Nakuru counties, where every child will receive a packet of milk twice a week for one year.
Health Cabinet Secretary Dr. Deborah Barasa said the program comes at the right time, with one in every five children facing malnutrition in Kenya.
Dr Barasa promised technical support from the Ministry of Health to ensure the school milk program is aligned with existing policy.
The International Dairy Federation CEO Lauren Rycken commended the initiative, saying that more than 210 million children worldwide benefit from school milk initiatives.
The First Lady praised the dairy sector as a vital economic contributor, accounting for 4.5 per cent of our GDP and supporting the livelihoods of over one million smallholder farmers.
It directly employs more than 750,000 individuals and indirectly benefits over 500,000 others.
By PCS
