Nursery school children from Bomet are more likely to go to class now that they are getting free milk twice a week.
Soon 53,000 children will get one packet of milk a day because a new processing plant is complete. For now, each of the 1,221 ECDE centres will get several cartons a week and see how far they go.
ECDE centres are built in primary schools.
The initiative is by the county and the new Kenya Cooperative Creameries.
A year ago, the county embarked on plan to put up more ECDE centres and complete others. Officials said with better learning facilities, there was also a need for better nutrition for childhood development.
Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok ,who spoke during the launch on Friday, said the milk was part of wider plans to increase enrolment in ECDE centres.
“We are continuing to build more ECDE centres because we value the development of our children and want to achieve maxim admission," he said.
The county in partnership with World Vision has already put up a Sh50 million milk processing plant at Chebunyo in Chepalungu. It will add value to milk products and produce yogurt, sour milk, cream and other producers.
Barchok said it will provide milk daily to all ECDE children.
“As for now, these children will be get milk twice a week but we hope to do this daily. we are only waiting for certifications from the Kenya National Bureau of Standards," he said.
Bomet has positioned herself as a dairy county due to the quality and quantity of milk produced.
The county earlier launched the Borenya Maisha na Barchok programme at Mogogosiek, targeting the needy, persons with disabilities, women and youth.
They received items and equipment such as beehives, chairs, tents in efforts to improve their livelihood.
(Edited by V. Graham)
