WFP Malawi School Meals Programme (One Day on Earth Video Footage)

Written by Moses Raphael Milanzi




The World Food Program in collaboration with the Government of Malawi has vowed to continue with the School Meals Program Tiunikekwathu learnt.

According to WFPs Kasungu Field Monitor Assistant Joyce Simwaka, the program which was supposed to come to an end this year will

still continue up to 2016.

"The program was supposed to come to an end this year but we have thought it wise to continue with the program hence we want to promise people no to despair as the program still continues," narrated Simwaka.

Simwaka went on to say that the program has also helped in bringing back a lot of kids who were involved in child work in the district.

"The coming of WFP has helped a lot because there were kids who were working in estates before but with the help of WFP and the Ministry of Labour a lot of those kids are now back in school," narrated Simwaka.

She went ahead to mention that the number of girl child enrolment in the district has also tremendously improved though she could not disclose the exact number.

"Our reports are indicating that in all the schools that such a program was introduced the number of girls who have enrolled is more than that of the boys." pointed out Simwaka.

However the District School Health Nutrition Co-ordinator for Kasungu District, Florence Kasiya commended WFP and also the government for the program.

"This program is very remarkable, before the program started a lot of kids were malnourished and a lot more others didn't go to school but now things have changed. A lot of kids are now healthy and the enrolment has increased. We believe the future of Malawi is bright more especially here in Kasungu.

Asked on what would be the case incase WFP withdrew from the program, she was quick to say that there was a home grown program which was introduced so as to carter for the continuous provision of the meals incase WFP pulled out.

"The government of Malawi through the ministry of health has started a home grown program, a program which the local villagers cultivate and grow soya and maize to be used in the making of porridge of their surrounding schools," narrated Kasiya.

Senior Group Village Headman Bweya, the village head for Mtunthama an area in which Nthema and Chankhalamu primary schools are located also commended the WFP for the program.

"We would like to thank WFP for the initiative and also the government for working hand in hand with the organisation, you have helped us a lot.," said Bweya

The school meals program in Malawi started in 1999 and right now statistics peg the number of primary school children beneficiaries at 682,222 nationwide. The main aim of the project is to reduce dropout rate, promote regular attendance, increase enrolment, improve children's ability to learn ad to help the Ministry of Education to build capacity to implement the program.

Category:

Education

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• WFP
• Malawi
• School
• Meals
• Programme
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