An international organisation- Mary’s Meals, says the School Feeding Programme (SFP) in primary education is registering positive impact evidenced by the data that is collected every month and the performance of programme key indicators such as enrolment, attendance, feeding rate, pass rate, progression rate, and volunteer participation, among others.
Mary’s Meals has a vision of ensuring that all those who have more than they need, share with those who lack even the most basic things, and that every child receives one daily meal in their place of education.
The organisation was established to enable people to offer their money, goods, skills, time, or prayer, and through this involvement, provide the most effective help to those suffering the effects of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.
Updating the District executive committee (Dec) in Dowa, Mary’s Meals School Feeding Manager Jacob Khumalo, said SFP has the objectives of reducing hunger in children living in poverty who attend school, and increasing access to primary education for children living in poverty.
Khumalo said SFP increases progression within primary education for children living in poverty, improves the health and well-being of children living in poverty, and improves the livelihood of disadvantaged smallholder farmers.
He said in Malawi, the School Feeding Programme started in 2002 with 2 schools in Blantyre, saying over the years, the programme has grown to 1,297 schools as of June 2025 (1,160primary schools, 125 ECDs and 12 special schools) in 23 districts.
He said across Malawi, the School Feeding Programme is benefiting 1,251,009 learners. The programme is continuous, depending on need, saying in Dowa, Mary’s Meals started in 2009, implementing SFP in 43 schools under Boma, Kanyenje, Chibwata, Kafumphe, Madisi and Kabwinja zones.
He said the programme is feeding 44,096 enrolled learners in Dowa as of June 2025, and that Mary’s Meals also promotes hygiene and the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults in the targeted 43 schools.
Khumalo said there are instruments which are used in the identification of schools to benefit from the School Feeding Programme, such as the MVAC report, Agricultural Production Estimates survey, food security/ hunger levels, and school feeding partners, among others.
“In 2024, SFP in Dowa expanded to 3 more schools within the same zone, such as Mitembo, Light of Hope and Valitsani. The assessment conducted resulted in the current expansion activities in 43 schools.” He said.
However, Khumalo said the School Feeding Programme is meeting challenges in the course of implementation in schools, such as insufficient firewood, unavailability of safe water in some communities, poor road network, and absenteeism of volunteers without valid reasons, among others.
