First Lady Rachel Ruto rolls out pilot phase of the National School Milk Programme

First Lady Rachel Ruto has called for more funding for school feeding programmes to ensure retention of needy students in schools.

Mrs Ruto called for leaders, organisations and stakeholders to finance such programmes.

“Educating a hungry child is a challenging task. A well fed child is more attentive active and likely to thrive in studies,”she said

Mrs Ruto spoke during in the rollout of the pilot phase of the National School Milk Programme at Testai Primary School in Nakuru County.

“The best way to ensure children stay in school and learn is by providing them with  nutritious healthy meals,” the First Lady stressed.

Eleven schools in five counties are set to benefit from the pilot project, each child receiving a packet twice a week.

The First Lady said she was also supporting fruit gardens in schools and homes as part of supplementing President William Ruto initiative of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.

Mrs Ruto was accompanied by MPs Samuel Gachobe (Subukia), Liza Chelule( Nakuru) and Paul Chebor (Rongai), among other leaders.

“We are working on policy framework with other sectors and players ensure this programme well anchored,” said Margaret Kibogy, the Managing Director of the Kenya Dairy Board (KDB).

Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Rono said the ministry was offer capacity building to schools in farming activities aimed at boosting nutrition and food production.

Rono said they ministry was working in partnership with First Lady initiative and 4-K  Clubs in launching the National Mama Kitchen Gardens in schools

The Mama Kitchen Garden Initiative is a program aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture and food security by empowering households, particularly women, to establish and maintain small kitchen gardens.

Rono urged farmers to ready themselves for the planting season adding that government will supply affordable and quality seeds and fertilizers.

Gachobe said the milk programme will retain many children in school.

Chebor said the milk programme which is similar to “Maziwa ya Nyayo” will improve health of school going children.

“It is a very good programme which should be replicated else where after the pilot project,” he said.

First Lady initiative “Feed One End Hunger” program intends to support the Government plans to ensure 10 million kids access a decent meal by 2030.

Currently only 2.5 million are being fed by the government and other partners leaving a gap of 7.5 million.

Mrs Chelule said the handshake government was key in uniting the country, urging all Kenyan to rally behind President Ruto.

In another event Mrs Ruto said there was need to address the rising alcoholism in the country.

Mrs Ruto said illicit brew dealers should be incorporated into legitimate business as a mean of curbing alcoholism in the country, First Lady Ruto has said.

The First Lady said closure of such businesses offered little solutions if such dealers are not co opted into alternative means of making a living.

Mrs Ruto promised to offer training and capacity building, table banking and other income generating activities through her Joyful Women Organization.

Speaking during a Women Economic Empowerment meeting in Kabazi Ward, Nakuru County, Mrs Ruto urged County commissioners to help in identifying illicit brewers ready to be incorporated into such economic activities.

“let us being them into table banking and give them training, capacity building and show them how to do other kind of business,” she said.