Feeding Program

Hungry children cannot learn

“Some of my students only have tea and biscuits in the morning before coming to school” a teacher in one of our partner schools in Lamjung told us. “By the afternoon, they are so hungry they can’t learn”. 

In another school, the Principal shared the story of a student who had little interest in learning and came to school irregularly. After some time, the teachers realised that his large family had no land and no source of income. They often struggled to find food to eat, and when the student was hungry, he did not come to school. One of the teachers started bringing extra food from her home to share with him and the student began to come to school with the hope of getting something to eat. For the last two years, the student has been given a snack every day at school. Sometimes teachers provide food or other students share their lunch with him. That student is now regularly attending school and is doing well in his studies.

Stories like this are common in rural schools in Nepal. Many children walk for up to 2 hours to get to school and so, even if they eat rice before leaving home, they are hungry when they arrive.

Poverty is a key factor in keeping children out of school, pushing children into labour and even to being trafficked (All Children in School Global Initiative on Out-of-School Children, Nepal Country Study, 2016). According to World Bank (2010) data, about a quarter of the population of Nepal falls below the national poverty line of US$1.25 per day and this is the most significant barrier to education (All Children in School Global Initiative on Out-of-School Children, Nepal Country Study, 2016).

Hungry children can’t concentrate in class and have little motivation to study. School feeding programmes are known to be one of the most effective ways of improving school attendance and achievement (Bryan, J., S. et al. 2004. Nutrients for cognitive development in school-aged children. Nutr Rev., 62: 295-306.)

Aiming to provide excellent education in rural schools, we in KISC EQUIP realise that however inspiring our training may be; however many new ideas we suggest to our teachers; however good the teaching is, hungry children can’t learn. The Lamjung school feeding programme aims to enable our students to reach their potential by attending school regularly and being able to learn.

It costs only £35 ($42) a year to feed a child at school. All students from Nursery to Grade 5 will receive a simple, nutritious midday meal cooked by the parents. By giving to the school feeding programme, you will make a difference to a child in a rural school not just for now, but for their whole future.