First Lady Rachel Ruto revives national school milk programme to boost nutrition
The Feed One End Hunger initiative, which she launched in 2023, seeks to combat hunger and malnutrition among school-going children.
The government is set to revive the national school milk programme, a move reminiscent of former President Daniel arap Moi’s Maziwa ya Nyayo initiative.
Spearheaded by First Lady Rachel Ruto through the Feed One End Hunger initiative, the programme that was launched last week at Testai Primary Primary School in Nakuru, will seek to boost school attendance and improve child nutrition across Kenya.
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“Educating a hungry child is a challenging task. A well-fed child is more attentive, active and likely to thrive in studies,” she said.
A pilot project is already underway in Migori and Nakuru counties, where pupils receive a packet of milk twice a week for a year.
11 schools in five counties are set to benefit from the pilot project.
If successful, the initiative could become one of President William Ruto’s key legacy projects, reinforcing his administration’s commitment to education and food security.
On Friday, the First Lady met with dairy sector stakeholders, including the Kenya Dairy Board and 40 milk processors, to discuss plans for a nationwide rollout. The processors have pledged their support, highlighting the programme’s potential to strengthen the local dairy industry while ensuring schoolchildren receive essential nutrition.
“Many of us recall the impact of Maziwa ya Nyayo, which improved school attendance and nutrition. We want to build on that legacy. A packet of milk in every child’s hands unlocks their future, supports farmers, and drives economic growth,” she said.
Rachel Ruto, Kenya’s First Lady since September 2022, has been a vocal advocate for social welfare programs. Her initiatives focus on empowering women, youth, and marginalized communities through economic inclusion, environmental sustainability, and food security.
The Feed One End Hunger initiative, which she launched in 2023, seeks to combat hunger and malnutrition among school-going children, aligning with her long-standing efforts to support vulnerable communities. The revival of the school milk programme fits within her broader agenda to improve the well-being of Kenyan families through sustainable solutions.
The legacy of maziwa ya nyayo
The original Maziwa ya Nyayo programme, introduced by President Moi in 1979, benefited 4.3 million pupils in 11,000 public schools, primarily targeting children aged five to seven.
The initiative was credited with a 23 per cent increase in school enrolment, particularly in rural areas before it was discontinued in the mid-1990s due to funding constraints.
Several counties, including Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, Bomet, Kericho, Mombasa, and Trans Nzoia, have already implemented similar programmes to keep learners in school.
In Nairobi, Governor Johnson Sakaja runs the Dishi na County feeding initiative, while Uasin Gishu provides milk to over 40,000 early childhood learners in 687 ECDE centres.
The Kenya Dairy Board has long advocated for the revival of school milk programmes, citing benefits for both education and the dairy sector.
The board previously engaged county governments in 2015 to encourage the adoption of such initiatives.
With growing support from stakeholders, the reintroduction of the school milk programme could once again transform the education and dairy sectors, bringing back memories of Maziwa ya Nyayo, a programme that once defined a generation.
The first lady also said that she is supporting fruit gardening in schools and homes as part of President William Ruto’s initiative of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.
“This morning we established a kitchen and a food garden at the school, and we look forward to expanding this initiative to other schools. We will work together with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Education to see if we can launch other initiatives like the 4K club in schools that will promote sustainability.”
She also said that a new programme called “The Mama Kitchen Garden” is still in planning and will be launched in April.
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