The promise of a meal helps keep kids in school

Children receiving a healthy breakfast at school every day

Stephan, a 12 year-old boy, will tell you in the face how he has found a reason never to miss any school lessons since they started dangling an irresistible incentive in his face.

"We receive porridge at school these days, and I haven't missed my classes since. Our mothers come and prepare the porridge which we all eat," says Stephan, flanked by a group of fellow youngsters.

Thousands more children are eating breakfast and receiving an education due to the provision of healthy breakfasts every morning at school. The school-feeding project, which is possible through a grant from the European Union and the German government, is expected to benefit a total of 43,000 children.

Under the program, Plan provides Corn-Soya Blend to children in pre-schools and primary schools in some parts of Lilongwe, Kasungu and Mzimba impact areas.

It is carried out in partnership with parents, teachers and the local community by engaging their participation in the preparation of the meals and in providing the services essential for a school-feeding project.

More children now attend school

The two main objectives of the project are to provide a healthy snack to children in order to combat malnutrition and to encourage children to come to attend school. Again, the project seeks to increase school enrolment.

Apparently, research in the area had shown that often, poor families do not have enough food to provide all its members with regular meals. Children commonly go to school on an empty stomach. 

This makes it difficult for them to concentrate on their lessons or participate in activities.  Chronic low-level malnutrition is a common result, eventually leading to mental and physical stunting.  

Cecelia Mwale, a volunteer caregiver at Chkhosi Pre-school says the project has made a difference in that her classes are always full now.

“The children are always here these days. You can imagine, in the past when we only had the program in preschools, children from primary schools used to gate-crash into pre-school in order to be assured of a meal,” she said.

Plan hopes that the project will increase the number of school aged children attending primary education by 3 percent by end of the year.

Different head teachers in Plan areas say that attendance figures have suddenly shot up since the school feeding project started. They insist its no coincidence.