The Nairobi County school feeding programme, Dishi na County, has launched an exciting new addition to its meal offerings following the arrival of a much-anticipated chapati-making machine at Toi Primary School's kitchen.
The machine, which can produce up to 2,000 chapatis in just one hour, marks a major milestone for the programme as it races towards serving its 100 millionth meal this term.
The installation comes at a time when the initiative continues to demonstrate the difference it is making in the lives of thousands of schoolchildren across the county.
Since its introduction, the chapati addition has received an enthusiastic response from learners. At Toi Primary Kitchen, manager Angela Muchai shared how excited the children are about the new menu item. "The kids are so happy to have chapati included in their meals.
You can really see the joy when they receive their food," she said. What might seem like a simple addition to the menu brings something familiar and comforting to the school lunch table, while also adding much-needed variety to the nutritious meals children receive every day.
The programme has come a long way since its launch three years ago, having served more than 85 million meals to date. Through Dishi na County, learners benefit from heavily subsidised meals priced at just five shillings, ensuring that hunger does not keep children away from the classroom.
County leadership is confident in their ability to deliver on this expanded vision. Governor Sakaja Johnson described the approaching 100 million meal milestone as significant for Dishi na County, particularly given the challenges the programme has overcome.
"It is a dream come true. We have moved from a situation where one in every four pupils could miss school because of lack of food to now feeding more than 324,000 learners. Some children even carry food home," he said.
To ensure fair distribution, the county has put a coordinated timetable in place that aligns with the programme's feeding calendar. This system means that every school across Nairobi will have a designated day to receive their share of the freshly made chapatis, allowing learners countywide to enjoy this special addition to their meals.
Looking ahead, the county is preparing for the next phase of expansion. Plans are underway to extend the feeding programme to public day secondary schools, while also developing a framework to reach learners in informal settlements and schools that operate outside the formal system.
Governor Johnson emphasised the commitment to delivery over promises. "We don't do politics with the lives of the people that we serve. We don't promise to be heard; we promise to deliver. We have been able to secure the machine, and it is up and running," he stated.
With more than 324,000 learners currently benefiting from the programme, the county says distribution will be carefully managed to ensure schools are served efficiently.
The dedication to expanding this life-changing initiative shows that Nairobi's leadership remains focused on putting meals on the tables of vulnerable schoolchildren, one chapati at a time.
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