Lusaka unveils Bungoma County free feeding program to benefit 90,750 ECDE learners

Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka has today officially launched a free Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) feeding program, which will see 90,750 learners across 820 ECDE centres receive fortified porridge, with each child consuming 40 grams per day, three days a week.

The initiative, which also includes the distribution of learning materials, is part of the county government’s broader effort to boost nutrition, attendance, and academic performance among young learners.

Speaking during the launch at Masinde Muliro Stadium in Kanduyi, Lusaka emphasized that the program goes beyond a feeding initiative—it is a declaration that no child in Bungoma will be left behind due to hunger.

“A hungry child cannot concentrate, cannot play, cannot learn. But a nourished child? That child can dream, thrive, and grow into a leader of tomorrow,” he said.

In the current financial year, the county government has allocated KSh 30 million to support the feeding program, KSh 23 million for ECDE teaching and learning materials, and KSh 25 million for vocational training equipment.

Additionally, the county is partnering with EIDU to integrate digital learning into 135 ECDE centres, with plans to expand the program to the remaining 450 centres in the 2025/2026 Financial Year.

The fortified porridge, tested and certified by county nutritionists, will help bridge the nutrition gap among the learners—41,794 in PP1 and 48,956 in PP2. A total of 141,570 kg of fortified porridge has been procured to sustain the program throughout the school term.

The Governor also presided over the second round of ECDE book distribution, benefiting 41,974 PP1 learners. In addition, 4,715 trainees from 89 Vocational Training Centres across the county are set to receive new learning tools.

Reaffirming the county’s constitutional mandate over ECDE, Lusaka outlined his administration’s ongoing commitment to child development through the construction of modern classrooms, hiring of trained ECDE teachers, and provision of CBC-aligned learning materials.