Malawi Red Cross in school feeding drive

Over 800 leaners from Dedza have joined other pupils on the list of beneficiaries of the school feeding program implemented by Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS).

The programme received financial support amounting to K16 million from the Rissho Kosei-kai ‘Donate-a-Meal Fund for Peace’ of Japan.

In Dedza, beneficiaries were taken from Mafutsa Primary School and Nyankhwi Community Based Child Care Centre.

The programme is also being implemented in Chikwawa, Mwanza, Salima and Ntchisi districts.

Speaking at Mafutsa Primary school during the handover of items marking the launch of the school feeding project, MRCS Secretary General McBain Kanongodza urged the school committees and community members to take care of the items and use them for intended purpose.

He stressed that the objective of the school feeding project is to increase enrolment, reduce dropout and sustain food availability in pre and primary schools by means of community gardening using farm inputs provided by the project.

“The harvested crop yields will sustain their meal requirements in form of porridge,” Kanongodza said.

Anna Katunga who is senior inspector of primary schools for Dedza district said government appreciates the role MRCS is playing in lifting education standards by providing porridge to primary and pre-schools in the country.

MRCS with support from the Rissho Kosei-kai Donate-a-Meal Fund for Peace of Japan has been supporting school feeding program at Chiphazi Primary School, targeting 972 Learners (495 boys and 477 girls) and Kawaliza Day Care Centre targeting 448 learners in Dedza since 2014.

A total of 19,000 learners have benefited from the 486 million Kwacha made available by Danish Red Cross, Italian Red Cross and Finnish Red Cross in Chikwawa and Mwanza, Japan Red Cross in Ntchisi and Swiss Red Cross in Salima for similar interventions.