By Wamuzi News Ke 
President William Ruto has pledged to finance the purchase of an automated chapati-making machine to support the expansion of the Dishi na County school meal initiative.
While touring Mathare and Ruaraka constituencies on Tuesday, Ruto directed Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to find a suitable supplier for the equipment.
“I have agreed to provide a chapati-making machine, so I instruct the governor to proceed with sourcing one,” the president announced.
Governor Sakaja had earlier asked students at St. Teresa Girls Secondary School in Mathare what they would like added to their meals, and they unanimously requested chapati.
With the program currently feeding 300,000 students, Sakaja acknowledged that producing one million chapatis would require additional support from the national government.
“I am already providing meals for 300,000 learners, but making one million chapatis is a challenge. I will seek the president’s help in acquiring an automated machine,” Sakaja explained.
During their visit, Ruto and Sakaja also unveiled a newly constructed dormitory at the school, designed to house over 1,200 students. The governor noted that the facility was built to address the growing demand for quality boarding accommodations.
On Monday, Ruto reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to expanding school feeding programs, particularly in informal settlements and underprivileged areas. He emphasized that ensuring students have access to nutritious meals would not only boost enrollment but also improve academic performance.
As part of the expansion efforts, the president officially launched the Zawadi Comprehensive School Dishi na County kitchen.
Sakaja also revealed that the program, which currently delivers 30 million meals to 310,000 students across 230 primary schools, will be scaled up further in 2024.
He highlighted the urgent need to address hunger in schools, stating that food insecurity forces many children to skip classes, while some even save portions of their meals to take home to their families.
“One in four students has missed school due to hunger. Some children save part of their meals to share with their siblings and parents,” Sakaja noted.
The governor has consistently emphasized that the Dishi na County initiative is a key pillar of his strategy to tackle urban poverty and improve education access.
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