- Acting County Secretary Parick Analo said that the feeding program will be implemented through an innovative three-stage approach.
- Ten central kitchens for the programme have been under construction since June ahead of the launch.
Image: NCCG
At least 81, 208 school children in Nairobi will enjoy their first meal as Dishi na County programme kicks off on Monday
In a list seen by the Star, some of the 45 schools are Umoja One Primary School, Ushirika, Dandora, Gatina, Kawagware, Olympic, Kinyanjui, Raila Education Centre, Ayany among others.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja will preside over the main event at Baba Dogo. The Dishi na County Meal will serve meals to public ECD and primary school children.
Speaking to the Star, he said that all is set for the programme to be rolled.
" Today, for phase one 81,208 children will have their first meal for Dishi na county, after two weeks 108,000 children are targetted and the third phase will have 188,000," Sakaja revealed.
In a statement released on Sunday, Acting County Secretary Parick Analo said that the feeding program will be implemented through an innovative three-stage approach.
" The approach is aimed to scale up lunch meals delivered, logistics and technology to ensure we are delivering the highest quality of food and service which our children deserve," he said.
Analo added that lunch meals will be prepared every day by our implementing partner- Food for Education in environmentally friendly kitchens distributed across the 17 sub-counties of Nairobi.
"These kitchens utilise green energy and adhere to the highest national and international safety standards including the recommended World Health Organization ( WH0) standards," he added.
The second stage will be launched in three weeks and the final stage will commence subsequently.
Additional information concerning the program will be provided in individual schools.
Ten central kitchens for the programme have been under construction since June ahead of the launch.
They are located in Dagoretti North, Embakasi Central, Embakasi South, Kasarani, Kibra, Makadara, Starehe, Roysambu, Ruaraka, and Westlands sub-counties.
They are being constructed in Baba Dogo Primary School, Bidii Primary School, Kwa Njenga Primary, Farasi Lane Primary, Muthangari Primary, Kayole One Primary, Njiru Primary, Toi Primary, Roysambu Primary and Racecourse Primary.
Health executive Susan Silantoi said most of the kitchens are almost complete, while some are ready.
For the staff, the CEC said at least 1,500 people will be contracted and the county targets guardians and parents.
"We are targeting to have parents and guardians because these are the people who know how to handle children and they will be paid as per the contract," she added.
Parents and guardians have been told to ensure their children carry a plate and a spoon for their meals.
"Due to logistics, we expect that children carry plates or lunch boxes to school. If more money is pumped into the project, the county will definitely provide the items," Silantoi said.
CEC Silantoi told the Star the food will be prepared starting at 4 am in the various completed kitchens.
By 10 am, the cooking is supposed to have been completed, the food packed and ready for transportation to the schools.
"Our partner, Food4Education which owns the Industrial Area mega kitchen is responsible for transportation and logistics and is very ready for today's [Monday] rollout," Silanoti added.
The trucks should be at the various schools before 12.30 pm, which is the exact time lunch hour starts.
Sakaja said the project is part of a vision he had for years.
He said the programme will ensure the provision of a daily nutritionally balanced hot meal for all children in public primary schools and public early childhood development centres.
In his first budget for 2023-24, Sakaja allocated Sh1.2 billion towards the feeding programme.
Some Sh500 million was allocated to building seven more kitchens and the rest to subsidise the cost of a plate for each child.
Last month, Governor Sakaja signed an intergovernmental partnership agreement with the national government on the implementation of a school meal plan in Nairobi.
The Sh1.7 billion agreement sets forth the terms of understanding between the parties in the implementation of the school meals programme in public primary schools in Nairobi.