Since the inception of the school feeding programme in 2002 by Mary’s Meals, at least 819 schools in the country are said to be benefiting.
According to the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mary’s Meals, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, by providing one good meal in places of learning, children are drawn into the classroom where they can receive an education that could one day free them from poverty.
MacFarlene–Barrow made the remarks in Blantyre during the screening of a film titled Generation Hope which highlights Mary’s Meals projects and their impact. He also said so far about 850,000 learners in the country are being reached out to.
“This is a video that we filmed in many parts of the world where we are serving. It is basically the story of Mary’s Meals told through young people that are in the university or they are working. They are symbols of hope and thus really what Mary’s Meals is all about, empowering young people to go to school and become something to the world,” he said.
He, however, said with the hunger that the country is facing, numbers of beneficiaries of the meals have increased which translates to more porridge for the learners.
“There is huge suffering in Malawi and our NGO [Non Governmental Organisation] has been visiting some of the areas to witness the extent of hunger in the areas. You see to that degree many learners have been moving to various schools to have food. I should say we will make sure in the coming months to accommodate all the needy learners,” he said.
istrict Education Manager for Blantyre Urban, Evelyn Mjima, said performance and enrollment of learners in various schools is tremendously picking.
“Mary’s Meals is our major funder in terms of school feeding in the country. To me, when you have learners attending classes without absenting themselves then we are assured of better performance. Because what this implies is the learners will be able to attend to all lessons in class and hence performance is getting better,” she said.
Mjima, however, advised learners to report anybody who misuses the flour meant for the porridge.
Currently Mary’s Meals is supporting all the 59 schools in Blantyre Urban reaching out to over 162, 000 learners.
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