The County Government of Siaya through its department of Education will launch a composite school feeding program in January next year.
The government has kicked off preparations and modalities that would see the programme implemented effectively.
According to Education Executive Edgar Otumba, the Nyalore government is committed towards rolling out the school feeding program to ensure no child miss school due to lack of food,
Otumba said the implementation of the school feeding program is part of his manifesto.
“It is doable for all our children not to have to go out looking for lunch or even go without food by implementing this program in the county,” Otumba said.
Otumba while speaking during Smart Start Initiative stakeholder’s forum said thy have a budget of Sh 60 million that will kick-start the implementation of the initiative.
“we have a budget of KES 60 million that will start with though the program will consume KES 141 million in a year.,” said Otumba adding that with the review of the budget more resources will be availed.
In Principal, we agreed to start with preparations where we will build kitchens, ensure every school gets water and see to it that grains is sourced.
According to Save the Children, 26 ppercent of LKenyan children are suffering stanted growth.
At the beginning of January, will see new kichen providing free meals for children in all Early Childhood development centers.
Apart from damaging their ability to learn, child hunger affects school enrolment, and attendance too..
The county has programed for the school feeding programe owing to the link between nutrition and learning.
Otumba at the same time revealed that they are going to put up ECD complex in Bondo, Siaya and Ugunja.
“once the budget is approved, will start with Bondo ECD complex,” he added.
The meeting also attracted KMET Executive Director Monica Oguttu who lauded county government of Siaya for mainstreaming smart start initiative in its ten departments for sustainability.
The initiative dubbed Nyathi En Mwandu, Miye Mise Motegno Chon, it’s now a government led program and it aims at ensuring the survival and thriving of children aged 0-3 hence thwarting maternal deaths.
According to Oguttu, we are happy to learn that sustainable strategies are being undertaken by Nyalore government and we are sure of the initiative continuing once the donor exit in 2027.
Oguttu commended consortium of organizations that pooled resources together to roll out the initiative that has reversed the negative maternal indicators that thrived in Siaya.
“Hilton Foundation trusts us with the funding’s, recently the foundations president was in siaya to establish whether the smart start initiative had positive impact on the grounds. They herd the beneficiary’s voices at the grassroots and termed Siaya smart start initiative a global model,” said Oguttu
“We now need to sustain the gains achieved and am happy to note that Siaya County government have anchored the initiative at the County Integrated Development plan. For us as Ngo’s , we shall be complementing the government.
“we as partners will be supporting Siaya with retainer “dose”.
“we have success stories pegged on smarts start initiative and would like it documented for the donors and other countries to see and learn with a view of replicating the initiative in counties,” said Oguttu adding that already some counties under LREB are embracing it.
Let’s hype the smart start initiatives on local media, publications, social platforms for donors and other Counties to pick it with a view of changing mindset and societies.
Siaya’s smart start initiative it’s the best model that have attracted leadership of certain counties and countries.
Oguttu thanked Non-governmental organization that were doing similar programs for agreeing to fold them and brought resources that saw a successful implementation of the programe with greater impact in the Counties.
“we as Ngo’s, have worked with the government to realize remarkable strategies and impacts on Smart Start Initiative and would like Siaya county government not to let gains go to drain.
The meeting brought together key partners including KMET, PATH was also attended by Siaya First Lady Betty Orengo, Governance Executive Agunda Ochanda, Agriculture Executive Silvester Kokoth, Health Executive Martin Konyango, Education Executive Dr Edgar Otumba.
Some of the initiatives aimed at supporting nurturing care and planned by departments included building of 3 modern ECD complex and a budget is in place to kick start implenmentation for Bondo before other two are done in Siaya and Sega.
Three modern Markets are being re-structured to cater for children’s needs and so far Siaya bus park and Modern market construction its under way and once complete, a section will be allocated for lactating mothers.
Siaya stadium and Migwena Cultural center will have rooms for lactating mothers
“the county government is also working on four Policies including Child protection policy, school feeding policy, Food, feed and safety development, SGBV policy and RMNCAH bills under review by Siaya assembly and other stakeholders.
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