First Lady Rachel leads push to revive "Maziwa Ya Nyayo"

First Lady Rachel Ruto is on a mission to revive the school milk programme popularly known as "Maziwa ya Nyayo".

Introduced in 1970s by the late President Moi, the programme ran for nearly two decades before ending in the mid-1990s due to funding shortages.

On Friday, she met with dairy sector stakeholders, including the Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) and 40 milk processors, at State House to advance the ongoing advocacy for a national school milk programme.

Dairy processors pledged support citing its nutritional and economic benefits.

“Many recall the impact of Maziwa ya Nyayo, which provided milk to public school children, improving nutrition and attendance. We seek to build upon that legacy,” said the First Lady.

Through the Feed One End Hunger initiative, the First Lady is championing the establishment of a national school milk programme to benefit every child in public primary schools. The First Lady has launched a pilot program in Migori and Nakuru counties, where every child will receive a packet of milk twice a week for one year.

The dairy processors promised support for the school program because of its nutritional and economic value.

Health CS Dr Deborah Barasa welcomed the initiative, noting it aligns with efforts to combat child malnutrition. International Dairy Federation CEO Lauren Rycken commended it, saying over 210 million children worldwide benefit from school milk programmes.

“The program comes at the right time, with one in every five children facing malnutrition in Kenya.” Said Dr Barasa,” I promise technical support from the Ministry of Health to ensure the school milk program is aligned with existing policy.

The International Dairy Federation CEO Lauren Rycken commended the initiative, saying that more than 210 million children worldwide benefit from school milk initiatives.

The First Lady praised the dairy sector as a vital economic contributor, accounting for 4.5 per cent of our GDP and supporting the livelihoods of over one million smallholder farmers. It directly employs more than 750,000 individuals and indirectly benefits over 500,000 others.