The Nairobi school feeding program will significantly impact education in the county, improving children’s health and academic outcomes.
The Food for Education Programme, a major implementer of the initiative, believes that Dishi Na County, launched by Governor Johnson Sakaja, will boost school attendance and provide essential nutrition. This nutrition is crucial for cognitive function and learning.
According to Wawira Njiru, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Food for Education Programme, school feeding programs can address classroom hunger and remove barriers to learning, making the partnership with Dishi na County important.
“We are incredibly proud. The completion of 17 kitchens across all sub-counties in Nairobi, marks a significant step towards achieving our goal which is to ensure that every child has access to a hot, nutritious meal while in school to feed 1 million school children daily in Kenya by 2027,” she said.
Wawira explained that the centralized kitchen system they have implemented allows them to produce over 10,000 meals per day, giving them the capacity to serve even more pupils, including those in the Alternative Provision of Basic Education and Training schools. The collaboration with the Nairobi County Government in rolling out the school feeding program is seen as a successful public-private partnership that is making a meaningful difference in the lives of children across Nairobi.
Expanding the feeding program to reach more underserved communities is a priority for the organization. They aim to leverage their existing infrastructure to ensure that no child is left behind.
“We’re committed to extending the program’s impact and feeding more learners across Nairobi,” she said noting that hunger is identified as one of the biggest challenges facing African children.
“Our partnership with thousands of smallholder farmers across 13 counties has created a stable, ready market for their produce – with approximately 80% of ingredients sourced locally – directly improving their livelihoods,” states Wawira
Through the school feeding programme, she explains that her organization has not only created over 3,000 jobs but also provided numerous opportunities for skilled workers in the jua kali sector.
“I’m particularly proud that over 70% of our workforce is Gen Z and more than 50% are women, ensuring that this initiative is empowering the next generation,” notes Wawira
Wawira shared that she initially started the program with the goal of feeding only 100 children but quickly realized the extent of the problem. This motivated her to seek deeper solutions and learn from successful models around the world.
“Our ultimate dream is to end child hunger, and we are continually analyzing the data we gather to refine and adapt our solution to meet the evolving needs of school children,” she said
