School-going children in public schools in Nairobi have a reason to smile after Governor Johnson Sakaja yesterday launched a programme that will see them get free meals.
The governor who spoke during the groundbreaking of ten kitchens which are the program dubbed “Dishi Na 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.
The groundbreaking took place in Dagoretti North, Embakasi Central, Embakasi South, Kasarani, Kibra, Makadara, Starehe, Roysamu, Ruaraka, and Westlands.
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.