Britain launches K2.9bn school meals in Malawi
Malawi Government has hailed the UK’s contribution of K2.9 billion (about $7.3 million) to World Food Programme (WFP) to help provide school meals to children in the country.
The contribution will benefit nearly 770 000 children in 683 primary schools in food insecure districts of the Central and Southern regions.
It will also enable WFP to support more than 5 000 children in 35 community-based childcare centres and provide take-home rations for more than 24 000 girls and orphaned boys in primary schools.
Minister of Education, Science and Technology Eunice Kazembe hailed the support when she officially launched the school meals to children at Malavi Primary School in the Southern Malawi district of Chiradzulu.
Kazembe said the initiative will help in the retention of children in school, reduce malnutrition, infections and opportunistic diseases.
“It means that the children are more likely to stay in school and get education, which will help them move out of poverty,” she said.
Head of UK’s DfID Sarah Sanyahumbi said: “We are aware that this is a difficult time for Malawi and Malawians, with food insecurity in [many] parts of the country and rising prices of maize and other essential commodities. The UKaid support for school feeding is part of our efforts to help protect the most vulnerable, particularly children.”
WFP country director Baton Osmani observed that school meals contribute to increasing percentage of girls and boys accessing and completing pre-primary education in Malawi.
“During times of food shortage, school meals are crucial safety net to protect children from hunger, and ensure that the education process is not disrupted,” he said.
