School meals brighten children’s futures
In Uganda’s Karamoja region, WFP’s school meals are improving education outcomes for children like Janet.
By Amone Akello
Twelve-year-old Janet Lino skipped across the dusty playground of Karenga Boys Primary School in Karamoja in northeastern Uganda, her laughter echoing against the backdrop of distant mountains. “I love the field,” she said, her eyes sparkling. “When people play, I feel happy watching them — and playing netball too!”
But life wasn’t always this joyful for Janet. In Karamoja, where drought and food insecurity are constant threats, many children arrive at school hungry, their minds too clouded by hunger to focus. “If I come to school without eating, I just sleep in class,” Janet admitted.
That changed when WFP’s school feeding programme began providing nutritious meals to students like Janet. Each day, she eagerly joins her classmates for a hot lunch of posho and beans, her favourite. “The food gives me energy,” she said, grinning. “I can play, bathe, and concentrate in class.”
For Janet, school has become a place of opportunity. “I want to be a doctor like my father,” she said, clutching her science textbook. Her teacher, Lodite Alex Lodoumoe, nodded proudly. “When the food is here, children come to school on time. They learn better, and their futures look brighter.”
Parents, too, see the difference. Nyangan Celestina, a 52-year-old mother of nine, beamed as she described her children returning home satisfied. “Their mouths are shiny with oil from the food,” she said. “I know they’ve eaten, and I feel peace.”
The programme’s impact extends beyond the classroom. By sourcing food from local farmers, WFP has boosted agricultural production in Karamoja, helping communities build resilience against hunger.
Janet’s story highlights the transformative power of WFP’s school feeding program, which reached over 83% of its targeted students in 2024, providing nutritious meals to 255,000 children across 315 schools in Karamoja. This initiative not only improved attendance and concentration but also supported local food systems by sourcing 4,700 metric tonnes of food from smallholder farmers.
As Uganda joined the School Meals Coalition, WFP’s technical assistance helped lay the groundwork for a national school feeding policy, ensuring sustainable access to school meals for vulnerable children. Through these efforts, WFP is fostering education and resilience in one of Uganda’s most food-insecure regions.
