Johnson Sakaja, the governor of Nairobi, has spoken out to explain why he broke down in tears during the Roysambu Primary School feeding program introduction.
When discussing the feeding program on Tuesday, Sakaja said he was reminded of the difficulties faced by kids who go to school hungry.
"The reason why I broke down, I was just remembering the resistance to this program. I have been going to schools and the kids would run to me and you could see how they are reacting to food," he said on Wednesday.
"It's embarrassing. When you tell them there are plans for lunch they get excited," he added during an interview at Citizen Tv.
The governor observed that some kids had trouble focusing in class because they don't get enough food.
"When children are told to go for lunch some of them don't come back to school. The next day even if they come to school and have nothing in their stomachs they have nothing in their minds. That's why we have committed money for the project," he said.
In Nairobi's public schools and ECDEs, complimentary lunches will cost Sh5 for students for the upcoming academic year 2023-2024.
The Sh1.2 billion annual program is a component of Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja's Dishi na County school feeding program.
In ten sub-counties, central kitchen construction was officially kicked off on June 12.
The first meal will be served on the first day of the third term of this academic year after an estimated 10-week construction period.
Dagoretti North, Embakasi Central, Embakasi South, Kasarani, Kibra, Makadara, Starehe, Roysamu, Ruaraka, and Westlands are among the sub-counties.
The project, according to Governor Sakaja, is an extension of a long-held goal of his to give every child in public elementary schools and public early childhood development centers a daily hot lunch that is nutritionally balanced.
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