World Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide

WFP recently hosted Ms Kurara Chibana (centre), Japanese model and a Celebrity Partner of WFP, on a visit to one of the schools being supported by Food for Education in the Arusha region of Tanzania.

WFP Tanzania is currently providing two school meals a day to over half a million primary school children in 1,167 schools in 16 drought-prone food insecure districts throughout the country.

Ms Chibana visited Engikaret Primary School in the Longido District of Arusha which has been receiving support from WFP since 2002 and is one of 32 schools being assisted in the district.
 

In countries where school attendance is low, the promise of at least one nutritious meal each day boosts attendance and improves childrens’concentration on their studies. Students typically receive a mid-morning snack of porridge and a lunch of maize, pulses, and vegetable oil. WFP uses fortified food to ensure children get the micronutrients they need.

Ms Chibana enjoyed some time with local students before sharing a meal. Of 16,000 primary schools in Tanzania, 6,000 provide some form of school meals.

Ms Chibana visited the family home of one of the students of Engikaret Primary School. Communities play an important role in the successful implementation of school meals programmes and WFP Tanzania is helping them to take ownership of community-led initiatives.

School meals serve as an incentive for families to send children to school, particularly girls who otherwise may not have the chance to learn. Ms Chibana saw firsthand how WFP school meals are giving children a better chance to access education.