In June, I had the opportunity to visit a field project in Malawi operated by our impact partner, ADRA International. ADRA Malawi implements a Relief and Recovery School Feeding Initiative through which they provide Rise Against Hunger meals to 8,479 children in five schools. I had just finished visiting one of the five schools where the children had eaten, and before I could leave, the principal stopped me, being sure to make eye contact. He said gratefully, “The work Rise Against Hunger is doing with ADRA Malawi is making a huge difference. I can see the kids in our community look much healthier than just one year ago.”
Lasting Transformational Impact
No doubt that a key takeaway is the effects of a school feeding program on the well-being of learners cannot be overstated. Through daily meals, these schools are able to meet immediate nutritional needs. Without the nourishment of these meals, these students cannot learn.Another notable takeaway was strong engagement in community volunteerism through School Management Committees (SMC), Parents and Teachers Associations (PTA) and parents. While our meals are packaged by volunteers in the U.S., another group of volunteers across the pond in Malawi is making sure the food is cooked, children are fed and are attending school. What an amazing global village we live in with a mission of ending hunger together!
