Poor nutrition leads to both physical and cognitive developmental delays. Good nutrition is essential for students to be able to attend school, concentrate and learn, which is why GPE supports school feeding programs in many partner countries.
Burundi: Reducing the vulnerability of children
The nutritional situation in Burundi weighs on the schooling of many children. In 2018, 56% of children under five suffered from chronic malnutrition – one of the highest rates in the world – and 61% of children suffered from anemia.
School feeding through the establishment of canteens has been identified as one way to reduce the vulnerability of children in food insecure areas. Hence, the government prioritizes the provision of school meals, and all recent GPE grants to Burundi include school feeding activities.
- The current grant of $46.9 million supports school resilience and reduction of vulnerabilities, including support over three years to the national school feeding program to reach approximately 100,000 children.
- An accelerated grant of $9.38 million has provided daily school meals to 34,528 students affected by humanitarian crises in Kirundo province.
- A COVID-19 grant of $7 million has provided over 31,000 students with school meals as part of the government’s program to support learning continuity during the pandemic.
Thanks to GPE funding and the support of partners, Burundi is delivering critical support to children at risk of food insecurity and helping keep them in school and learning.
Learn more about our work in Burundi:
This is a great article highlighting the positive impact of school meal programs on student attendance. It's inspiring to see how these 5 partner countries are working towards providing a basic need for education. I appreciate the efforts being made to ensure every student has access to a nutritious meal and the opportunity to succeed in school. Thank you for sharing this information and spreading awareness about the importance of school meals.
In reply to This is a great article… by Md. Manik Hossain
Great effort ,I want to find your financial support for Haiti school ministry