With food prices soaring and more people falling into the pit of hunger, a global school lunch program has never been more important. School lunch programs can offer a calm in the storm of soaring food prices in developing countries. Having children ensured a meal at school is a valuable safety net for poor families.
Rising food prices are threatening the ability of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and other charities to provide these meals to children. Efforts to expand existing programs to reach more needy children are also seriously jeopardized by the global food crisis.
The following is the first in a series of interviews with representatives of the WFP, discussing the status of school feeding programs in various developing countries. The first country profiled is Malawi, located in Africa. The interview is with Romina Woldemariam, Deputy Head of the WFP Malawi country program.
How many children are benefiting from the WFP school feeding programs within the country?
635,000 children in grades 1 to 8. Currently this is being implemented in 13 (of 28) of the most vulnerable districts in Malawi.
Discuss what effect the meals have on the children in terms of school attendance, performance and nutrition.
School feeding in Malawi has observed favorable results. According to our recent (2007) baseline study there has been an increase in enrollment and attendance. Although more difficult to isolate the exact cause, there is also evidence that school feeding has contributed to an improvement in school performance.
What plans are there for making school lunches available for all children?
Currently the WFP country office is providing mid-morning meals, not lunches (schools close right after mid day). The Government of Malawi (GoM) and WFP Malawi are working together to expand the school feeding programme across all the districts. WFP is currently in the process of discussing with our government counterparts how to support the government of Malawi in this initiative.
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