Learners drink milk in school

Water Executive Fatma Awale (centre) joins a group of women during the launch of the Bangladesh Water and Sanitation project last year. The county has rolled out several water and sanitation initiatives. [PHOTO: KELVIN KARANI/STANDARD]

Mombasa, Kenya: Mombasa County Government counts the roll-out of an ambitious school milk programme as part of its success even as it grapples with low budgetary allocation from the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA).

The school nutrition programme launched by Governor Hassan Joho mid last year benefits 27,670 in all 96 public primary schools in the county.

In the programme, learners between Baby Class and Standard Three receive milk from Monday to Friday, in an effort to improve their nutrition as well as retain them in school.

Mr Joho's administration invests about Sh56 million a year in the programme, according to County Secretary Hamisi Mwaguya, who billed it as a major achievement for the devolved unit

"We launched the school milk programme to boost the health of our children throughout the county," Mr Mwaguya said.

Kadzandani Primary School Deputy Head Teacher Stella Mwangudza confirmed 400 pupils in the institution have been getting a packet of milk on school days since March this year.

The county government has also commissioned the construction of eight model Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centres across the county at a cost of Sh27 million each.

The governor recently launched a Sh47 million bursary fund for secondary, colleges and universities students, which targets 4,300 beneficiaries every year.

Another noted project is construction of walkways across the county, a partnership between the county government and the World Bank.

"A beautification and sanitation programme is also going on under a public-private-partnership arrangement to give the city a facelift," Mwaguya explained.

Installation of street lights and traffic lights has also been one of Governor Joho administration's pet projects.

Officials said the county government has invested more than Sh80 million in lighting several areas of the tourist town.

"We have also invested more than Sh15 million installing floodlights and a generator at the Mombasa City Stadium where we can host football matches at night," Mwaguya said.

The county government has also partnered with the World Bank in a piped water project to hospitals to improve their operations.