By Mohamed Siyad - Reporter
Kenya, January 22 2026 - Wajir County has rolled out a school meals programme and sanitary support for Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) learners as the ongoing drought threatens to disrupt learning across the county. This intervention comes at a critical time, as the ongoing drought threatens to disrupt learning for many ECDE children.
Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi said the programme is designed to keep young learners in school while addressing nutrition and dignity concerns.
“By providing regular meals, we are helping keep our learners in school, improving nutrition, and supporting better focus in class. In addition, school-going girls will benefit from the distribution of sanitary pads, helping them stay in school with dignity while easing the burden on families during these challenging times,” Governor Abdullahi said.
Through the programme, 27,802 ECDE learners enrolled in 376 centres across all sub-counties will receive 356 tonnes of fortified Con-Soy porridge to support learning and attendance.
Alongside the meals programme, the county has rolled out the Sanitary Kits Initiative, targeting school-going girls to address one of the most persistent yet often overlooked barriers to education.
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The initiative is expected to significantly reduce absenteeism linked to menstruation, particularly among learners from vulnerable households. Governor Abdullahi stressed that access to sanitary products is a matter of equity, dignity, and human rights, noting that no girl should miss school because of circumstances beyond her control.
Parents, teachers, and education stakeholders have welcomed the initiative, describing it as a lifeline for families grappling with rising food prices, drought-induced poverty, and climate uncertainty. ECDE teachers noted that similar past interventions led to improved classroom participation, better health among learners, and stronger engagement from parents.
As Wajir continues to confront the realities of climate change and recurrent drought, the ECDE School Meals Programme and Sanitary Kits Initiative stand out as a comprehensive, people-centred response—one that places children, education, and dignity at the heart of development.
