School Feeding

Providing a healthy, daily meal is the first step in overcoming some of the issues related to distances from school and parents not seeing value in sending their younger children to school. If a meal is provided – especially if a meal is not available at home – then the likelihood of a child coming to school increases dramatically. This promotes retention of children within the school system and also sets the stage for improved nutrition and health for the children, which is fundamental to improving education. It also engages the mothers at the school, through the formation of a rotating schedule of cooking meals for the children.

In response to the needs of the rural communities and the children it serves, Nhaka Foundation developed an in-school feeding program to address one of the biggest challenges faced each day in, and out, of the classroom-hunger. A great many children come to school with empty stomachs making it impossible for them to concentrate or fully participate in classroom and outdoor activities.