School Feeding
Into School, Out of Hunger
Education is fundamental to helping the poor
Some 300 million poor children in the world today either do not attend school or do not receive a meal during the school day. Most of these children are female.
Every day, 24,000 people die of hunger or hunger-related causes. Seventy-five percent of them are children in poor countries.
Research confirms that basic education is the most effective investment to improve economies and create literate, self-reliant and healthy societies.
A UNESCO survey showed that in countries with an adult literacy rate of about 40 percent, GNP per capita averaged $210; in those countries with at least 80 percent literacy rates, GNP per capita was $1000 and above.
A World Bank study of 13 countries found that a minimum of 4 years of primary education increased farmers' productivity by 8.7 to 10 percent.
UN studies show that illiterate girls begin marriage as early as 11 years of age and may have up to 7 children before they are 18. In contrast, girls who go to school marry later, practice greater restraint in spacing births, and have an average of 50% less children.
Research shows that between 1970-95, women’s education and relative status contributed to more than 50% in the reduction of child malnutrition in developing countries. Improvements in women’s education contributed more by far than any other input.
School feeding helps educate poor children and builds literate societies
Providing nutritious food at school is a simple but effective way to improve literacy rates and help poor children break out of poverty.
School feeding focuses on the individual child while yielding tangible results for society. By reducing children’s hunger and improving their educational opportunities, school feeding helps create the human infrastructure needed by nations to prosper.
When school meals are offered, enrollment and attendance rates significantly increase.
On a full stomach, a student’s ability to concentrate and learn is dramatically improved. Malnourished children are ensured at least one nutritious meal a day.
In traditional cultures where girls are expected to stay at home, school feeding and “take-home rations” often convince parents to send their daughters to school.
In emergencies, school feeding, even in makeshift schools, provides a critical source of nutrition and ensures that education is not interrupted.
For an average of only 19 cents per day, or US$ 34 annually, a child can be fed in school for one year.
WFP: Four Decades of Experience
For nearly 40 years, WFP has provided nutritious meals to schoolchildren in poor countries around the world. In 2000, the agency fed over 12 million children in schools in 54 countries. Millions more children receive meals at school in WFP’s emergency operations.
WFP is one of the world leaders in promoting girls’ education through its take-home rations program. The agency gives a month’s supply of food rations to the parents of girls who are enrolled in school and maintain a high attendance rate. The result is that girls’ enrollment can increase by nearly 300 percent in some cases.
WFP plans to implement a specific school feeding strategy for war and HIV/AIDS orphans. Already the agency manages these types of projects in Uganda, Zambia, Kenya and Cambodia, and it is preparing to expand to other countries.
2001: A Global Campaign to End Child Hunger
In 2001, WFP launched an international effort to feed and educate those millions of children the agency does not currently reach. The campaign’s aim is to increase donor support and strengthen partnerships with others in the aid community.
Governments have always supported WFP’s school feeding projects and the agency is currently working on increasing their contributions. Donors in the past have been Australia, Canada, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the USA.
The US has given a substantial donation towards the new campaign and is considering an annual contribution. The initial donation allowed WFP to maintain its operations in 23 countries and to expand in ten.
As part of its campaign, WFP is strengthening partnerships with other UN agencies, such as UNESCO, the World Health Organisation and the World Bank, as well as many charity groups, in order to coordinate the other non-food needs, such as improved teacher training and better classrooms.
WFP, the world’s largest international food aid agency, works in 83 countries. In 2000, it fed 83 million people.
For media inquires, please contact:
Jeffrey Rowland
WFP/Rome
Tel. +39-06-6513-2971
E-mail: jeffrey.rowland@wfp.org Abby Spring
WFP/NY
Tel. 212/963-5196
Email:
Springa@un.org
¤Sara Piepmeier
WFP/Chicago
Tel. 847-864-3665
Email: piepss@ameritech.net
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