Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja on Thursday, August 26, unveiled the county’s first chapati-making machine under the Dishi na County school feeding programme.
The machine has been installed at the Toi Primary School kitchen, where it will be used to prepare chapatis for distribution to schools across Nairobi County.
According to the county government, the machine can produce up to 2,000 chapatis per hour. The chapatis will be distributed to participating schools based on a coordinated schedule aligned with the feeding programme’s calendar.
Chapati-making machine. Photo: Courtesy.
Sakaja said the introduction of chapatis was part of the county’s efforts to improve the quality and variety of meals provided to learners through Dishi na County.
The move was welcomed by learners and staff at Toi Primary School, with the school’s kitchen manager Angela Muchai noting the excitement surrounding the addition of chapatis to the menu.
Nairobi County Executive Committee Member for Health and Nutrition Suzanne Silantoi noted that the new equipment reflected the growth of the school feeding programme and the county’s continued efforts to improve meals provided to learners.
More than 324,000 learners currently benefit from Dishi na County, with the county having established a timetable to ensure participating schools have designated days when chapatis are served.
According to Sakaja, the programme has so far provided more than 85 million hot and nutritious meals, with the county targeting to reach the 100 million-meal milestone.
He credited his administration and the programme’s implementation team for sustaining the initiative despite political opposition, scepticism and legal challenges.
Under Dishi na County, learners receive subsidised hot meals at a cost of KSh5, with the programme aimed at reducing the burden on families and ensuring hunger does not prevent children from attending school.
A total of 230 public schools across 17 sub-counties are currently enrolled in the programme.
The county government is also considering expanding Dishi na County to public day secondary schools and additional schools in informal settlements.
