UN WFP chief lauds school meals programme in Kenya

UN World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director David Beasley on Friday lauded the contribution of school meals programme in Kenya, saying it has helped keep children in schools.

Beasley, who visited a Nairobi primary school who receive daily lunches through WFP’s school meals programme, thanked donors for funding the program.

“School meals allow children to focus on their books instead of their stomachs.

“They are an investment in the next generation, helping ensure every child has access to education, health and nutrition,” said Beasley in a statement issued after the visit.

“We are incredibly proud of our partnership with the Government of Kenya over the last 30 years. Together we have built a sustainable national school meals programme that will be fully owned, financed and managed by the government by 2019,” he added.

The programm which has been funded through a successful global U.S. initiative is in danger of being cut in the proposed U.S. government budget.

School meals protect vulnerable children from hunger and offer a regular source of nutrients essential for the mental and physical development of young children.

They encourage parents to send their children, especially girls, to school and keep them there.

“I want to thank all donors who have supported us on this journey, in particular the U.S. through the McGovern-Dole initiative,” Beasley said at a primary school in Mathare, an informal settlement on the northern edge of Nairobi.

“Not only are U.S. funds feeding hungry children, but they are crucial in the transition process to full Government ownership of this critical safety-net.”

In partnership with Kenya, WFP has provided hot lunches to school-going children in Kenya for more than 30 years.

Since 2009, WFP has been transitioning this program to government ownership, with the launch of a national home-grown meals program.

In this model, the government transfers cash to schools to buy food from the local market.

WFP supports the hand-over process by providing training, joint expert visits and exchange of staff to enhance national and local capability in programme management, procurement and storage of food, monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

The McGovern-Dole programme of the U.S. Department of Agriculture supports education, child development and food security in countries around the globe.

With McGovern-Dole funds, WFP is providing school meals to 2.2 million children in 11 countries this year, including Kenya.

Both WFP and Kenya provide meals every school day for more than 1.2 million children across the arid and semi-arid areas and in the poor informal settlements of Nairobi.

No fewer than 850,000 of those children benefit from the government-led programme.