Birth Date: November 2007 Dream: Determine if providing regular meals to especially vulnerable students would increase attendance, attention and retention. Where: Three Qwa Qwa high schools in Thabo Mofutsanyana district of the Free State. What: In South Africa, about one-third of 10th graders are orphans, and one barrier to success is clear -- they are hungry. Caring Schools is a daily meals program that integrates meal preparation for 655 of the most at-risk high school students with sustainable gardens, nutrition education and standardized buying and distribution of ingredients to manage costs. Who: Three women and partner Save the Children in South Africa. Funds: A small $13,000 investment was considered "gold" for launching a project that bought pots and pans, trained staff and supplied meal ingredients and seeds. Results:
Several schools have established vegetable gardens.
Local businessmen and farmers have donated additional funds and staples to two schools.
Program has expanded to provide additional vegetables and protein each week.
The effort is fueling cooperative learning among principals.
Student committees receive leadership training to help mobilize advantaged children on behalf of less advantaged.
Best practices are being shared with a network of 90 schools, as well as education and health officials.
Parents are preparing meals.
Children are taking seeds into the community and teaching about sustainable gardening. Next:
Fund second semester beginning January 2010.
We have applied for grants that could fund distribution of a training model to educators at an additional 500 schools.
MAC has been asked by a global alliance on nutrition to share "best practices" from Caring Schools.
