Murang’a County has intensified its Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) feeding programme in a bid to improve attendance and support families facing food insecurity. The initiative targets children aged three to six years attending the county’s 676 public ECDE centres, which serve approximately 42,000 learners. Recognizing that some parents struggle to provide regular meals, especially in drought-affected areas like Ithanga constituency, the county partnered with Food for Education to supply nutritious porridge to all participating learners.
The programme was piloted between October 2022 and February 2023 at Mt Olive ECDE in Kakuzi Mitumbiri Ward. To ensure safety and quality, the porridge is cooked at a central location in each ward, then distributed to individual schools using Bodaboda riders. Each centre has a designated Uji Champion, a parent responsible for tasting the porridge and confirming that delivery seals remain intact. The county engaged school parents, Members of County Assembly, and cooks to streamline operations and maintain accountability during distribution.
Early results indicate that the feeding programme has positively impacted school enrollment and retention, as parents feel reassured that their children receive safe and nutritious meals. County officials hope that by expanding the initiative across all ECDE centres, the programme will further enhance early learning outcomes, reduce dropouts caused by hunger, and foster community participation in education. Plans are underway to continuously monitor and improve the initiative, with the long-term goal of making Murang’a a model for child nutrition and early education in Kenya.