Nourishing Potential: Linking School Meals to Student Success
Across the schools we partner with in rural Africa, daily school meals are making a measurable difference in children’s lives.
In Rwanda, FMFM teams recently visited six rural schools. Five of them lacked fruits or vegetables in their lunch programs, not because of climate challenges, but due to food procurement costs. In schools without meals, educators reported that hunger was directly affecting learning. Some teachers even left the cafeteria during lunch to avoid seeing students without food.
But we also saw what change looks like. At one school, local parents helped start a small garden. Today, that garden supports regular meals that include fresh produce. Students now stay focused in class, absenteeism is down, and the garden has become a learning tool in itself. Children are gaining knowledge about nutrition and agriculture. Families are earning income by participating in its upkeep.
This is the impact of your support. Each donation helps provide dependable, nutritious meals that directly contribute to improved health, stronger classroom performance, and increased school retention. The outcomes are visible in the meals served, the lessons learned, and the lives strengthened.
