The government of Murang'a County has started a feeding initiative at the preschool level that would provide over 42,000 ECDE students with a cup of porridge each day in the classroom.

The programme aims to keep kids in school, especially at this time of year when hunger is a problem due to prolonged dry weather in most of the county.

Irungu Kang'ata, the Governor of Murang'a, emphasised the programme's significance by adding that it will guarantee that the young students receive porridge, which has nutrients that help children's growth and development.

While launching the feeding programme in Kangema on Monday, Kang'ata noted that there are children in the county who go to school without food, and parents cannot pay fees for porridge.

 "So the county government in collaboration with an NGO came up with the idea of providing children with porridge," he stated.

Further, the Governor said that a pilot of the feeding program was conducted towards the end of 2022, and they got feedback where parents suggested improvements that are now being worked on.
PHOTO | COURTESY: KNA

The Governor assured his commitment to ensuring accountability in the program delivered in Kang'ata in all public ECDE centres in the county.

"The porridge will be prepared at a central place and be distributed to local ECDE centres. This will cut costs of running the programme," he explained.

On his part, Murang'a County Parents' Association Chairman David Mwaura Mwangi noted that parents have been relieved of the burden of taking to their children to school through the feeding program.

"As parents, some of us were unable to enroll our children while some children missed school because they had no food to carry to school," he added.

He further stated that the free porridge had improved enrollment and that parents had accepted the initiative.

The oatmeal will be kept in airtight containers and transported to schools by boda-boda riders.

Stephen Munania, the deputy governor of Murang'a, also present, stated that the program's major goal is to nurture children from an early age.