School Meals in Emergencies and Protracted Crises - WFP 2016-2021

This project supports the World Food Programme’s (WFP) school feeding program. Over the past four decades WFP has become the world's foremost provider of school meals to poor children. In addition to providing free midday meals WFP provides students with take-home rations for the family which encourages parents to send their boys and girls to class. School feeding initiatives target the most food-insecure areas of countries with low school enrolment irregular school attendance and high primary school drop-out rates. GAC's support to WFP's school meal program is used to purchase deliver and distribute nutritious food primarily to school children particularly girls. School feeding is a means of increasing enrolment and attendance rates decreasing drop-out rates and improving children's concentration learning and academic performance.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) reduced undernutrition including micronutrient deficiencies among children aged 6 to 59 months pregnant and lactating women and school aged children; (2) increased equitable access to education; and (3) strengthened ownership and capacity in reducing undernutrition and increasing access to education at regional national and community levels. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or acute food insecurity.