- Education
Opening the Door to Opportunity
When children are hungry, learning becomes very difficult. That’s because a reliable, nutritious meal fuels not just our bodies, but our minds, too. Without consistent meals, students can’t focus, make the miles-long trek to attend school regularly or perform in the classroom to their fullest potential.
Further, families in communities facing food insecurity are often forced to make unthinkable choices: send their children to school or keep them home to help find or afford food. That’s why education is a critical part of our work. When children have access to nutritious food at school, classrooms become places of stability, learning and hope — and students are positioned to build brighter futures.
Hear from a few of the children served by our education programs:
- The Challenge
How Hunger Disrupts Education
Without access to a reliable source of nutrition, attendance declines, academic performance suffers and many children fall behind or stop attending school altogether — perpetuating the cycle of poverty and hunger.
For families already facing hardship, hunger makes pursuing education a daily trade-off. The result is a cycle where children miss out on learning opportunities that could help lift their families and communities toward long-term stability.
- Education Programs
The Power of a Meal to Count On
To help break this cycle, Rise Against Hunger supports school feeding programs in early childhood development centers, primary schools and secondary schools in countries around the world. These programs provide consistent, nutritious meals that fuel learning and encourage regular school attendance.
When students can count on a meal at school, studies have shown that enrollment increases, attendance improves and academic performance strengthens. Teachers report better focus and engagement, and parents gain confidence knowing their children are safe, fed and learning.
Beyond meals, we work alongside communities to strengthen school infrastructure, promote hygiene and nutrition education and empower local leaders to sustain these efforts long-term.
- The Impact
Education Support Is the Catalyst for Thriving Communities
By 2028, across our global network, 1 million school-aged children are projected to receive daily meals through Rise Against Hunger’s assistance. That’s millions of minds and bodies growing, learning and dreaming of a thriving future.
Here’s a glimpse of the global impact Rise Against Hunger has through our education programs:
- Kenya: A homegrown school feeding program has raised attendance to 93.56%, increased enrollment by 22.65% and strengthened learning outcomes through nutritious daily meals — notably in reading comprehension for girls — across seven schools.
- Zimbabwe: Learning outcomes improved for 3,591 students through hygiene education, new water systems and productive school gardens.
- Timor-Leste: 1,997 students received nutritious daily meals, leading to stabilized attendance, concentration and academic engagement across six early childhood development centers.
- Education
