Children across all 319 Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in Tana River County now have a reason to smile after the county government rolled out a school feeding program.
Governor Dr. Dhadho Godhana on Monday flagged off the distribution of 20,000 bales of fortified uji mix from the county stores, marking a bold step toward improving early childhood education and nutrition.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, Governor Godhana emphasized that supporting young learners remains a central priority of his administration.
“It’s our primary duty to take care of our children, and we will do it effectively,” he said.
He further revealed that the county has completed construction of three ECD centres of excellence at Prisons, Madogo, and Delta, as part of broader efforts to uplift the quality of early learning infrastructure.
To ensure consistent delivery of services, the county government has employed a sufficient number of ECD teachers, placing them under the Permanent and Pensionable (P&P) scheme.
Additionally, teachers have been deployed to temporary ECD centres in remote clusters to cater to children in hard-to-reach areas.
The initiative is modelled in part after successful school feeding efforts like Nairobi County’s "Dishi na County" program, which has gained national praise under Governor Johnson Sakaja for its daily school meal provision to thousands of primary school pupils.
By adapting a similar approach, Tana River is seeking to ensure that children in marginalised regions receive the nutritional support necessary for healthy development and improved educational outcomes.
The County Executive Committee Member for Education, Mr. Abbas Kunyo, highlighted the positive impact of school feeding on learning, stating that food provision at ECD centres enhances transition rates to primary school.
Abbas reaffirmed the county’s commitment to increasing the budget allocation for children’s meals.