County Launches Feeding Program for Learners in Urban Informal Settlements

Nairobi County has announced plans to extend its flagship Dishi na County school feeding program to learners attending informal settlement schools. Speaking before the Senate Education Committee, Governor Johnson Sakaja said the county will begin by mapping public schools located near informal institutions—allowing pupils from these underserved areas to access hot meals during lunch time.Launched in 2023, the Dishi na County initiative currently serves more than 316,000 learners daily in 230 public primary and ECD schools, using 17 central kitchens scattered across Nairobi. Governor Sakaja noted that to fully absorb learners from informal schools, the County would need 69 additional kitchens, but financial and infrastructure constraints have slowed down this expansion.
The program is already credited with improving attendance, retention, and learner focus, according to County records. While the effort has been praised, it is also facing pressure: Governor Sakaja confirmed that he has billed the national Ministry of Education for KSh 2 billion to help sustain and scale up the feeding program.
Looking ahead, plans are underway to institutionalize Dishi na County under a full County policy, making the feeding scheme a permanent feature of Nairobi’s education framework. As the County works to bring more schoolchildren from informal settings into the program, stakeholders hope this expansion will not only reduce hunger but also improve access to education for thousands of learners who currently miss out.