Lunch initiative to benefit 16,000 pupils launched

Limuru constituency manager Earnest Gacumi speaks ahead of the launch. [George Njunge, Standard]

More than 16,000 children in Kiambu County will benefit from a new lunch programme.

The Sh20 million programme is a partnership between Limuru NGCDF and and Food for Education, an NGO that targets 40 public primary schools.

This follows a survey that found most children in Kiambu schools miss lunch due to poverty and hard economic times.

The initiative will benefit children and will create 150 jobs in various schools as cooks and other staff. The programme will kick off with construction of a mega kitchen at Kamandura primary school where the piloting will be done. Trucks will be used to ferry food to schools as construction of more modern kitchen continues in the rest of primary schools.

Thursday, Limuru MP John Kiragu said retention of pupils and performance will improve greatly once the programme starts. "Any child running on an empty stomach cannot concentrate in class. It is just natural and so by having them fed in school we shall certainly see an improvement even as we offload parents the lunch bill," Kiragu said.

Speaking during the launch at Mirithu primary school, Limuru constituency manager Earnest Gacumi said the programme will bolster education in the region as all children will be treated to a hot and balanced diet.

"We have found that many children forego lunch in school at their most critical age of growth when energy is required even for play. With this programme, we shall have better results and retain all children in school," he said.

Jane Muthoni from Ndeiya and a parent, lauded the programme and said it has come at a time when providing meals has become a challenge to parents.

"As parents we are happy and look forward for a better results in exams as a well fed child has all the chances of doing well. We rarely pack lunch for our children, we would rather provide supper and a little breakfast," Muthoni said.