Wajir County has rolled out a school meals programme targeting Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) learners in a move aimed at sustaining learning amid prolonged drought conditions affecting the region.
The initiative, which is being implemented across all sub-counties, will benefit 27,802 ECDE learners in 376 centres. Under the programme, the learners will receive a total of 356 tonnes of fortified Con-Soy porridge to support nutrition, improve classroom concentration, and enhance learning outcomes.
Speaking during the official rollout, Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi said the programme is designed to boost school attendance and retention among young learners whose families have been severely affected by the ongoing drought.
“By providing regular meals in our ECDE centres, we are ensuring that children remain in school and are able to concentrate in class despite the hardships brought about by the drought,” said Governor Abdullahi.
In addition to the school meals programme, the county government has introduced a Sanitary Kits Initiative targeting school-going girls to address menstruation-related absenteeism, a challenge that disproportionately affects learners from vulnerable households.
Governor Abdullahi emphasized that access to sanitary products is a critical factor in promoting girls’ education and safeguarding their dignity. “No girl should be forced to miss school due to lack of basic sanitary materials. This is a matter of dignity and equal opportunity in education,” he noted.
Education officials said the combined interventions are expected to ease the burden on drought-affected families while strengthening early learning retention and participation across the county. They added that proper nutrition at an early age plays a key role in cognitive development and long-term academic performance.
Parents and teachers across the county welcomed the programme, noting that similar initiatives implemented in the past led to improved attendance, better health among learners, and increased parental involvement in education.
The county government said the school meals and sanitary kits initiative forms part of its broader drought mitigation strategy aimed at protecting essential social services, particularly education, during climate-related emergencies.
By Hamdi Buthul
