‘Miam!’ Say Haiti’s Schoolchildren

“Miam!’, said Jennifer. The one word – the French equivalent of ‘Yum!’ – summed up her appreciation of the meal she had just been served.

The nine-year old is one of more than 20,000 schoolchildren to have benefited from Yum!’s $1 million contribution to school meals last year. The money, donated to the World Food Programme of the United Nations, allowed the children from low-income families in Haiti to have daily meals at school during the 2008-2009 school year.

Like Jennifer, many of these children had survived the terrible storms and hurricanes which devastated their country in late August and September last year. The port town of Gonaives, where Jennifer lives with her family, was particularly badly hit.

Hundreds of lives were lost, homes and farmland were ruined. Even now, the inhabitants are still recovering.

“I’m really glad we get food at school,” says Jennifer who attends St. Francis of Assisi School, one of 100 schools in Gonaives supported by WFP. “Sometimes there’s nothing to eat at home.”

The basics of the meal – rice, beans and vegetable oil – are provided by WFP. Any additional ingredients – meat, fish or vegetables, depending on the day – are contributed by the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul who run the school.

“The children just couldn’t study properly without a school meal,” says one of the nuns. “A lot of them wouldn’t have the strength to concentrate.”

Why School Meals Make a Difference

Haiti’s education sector is one of the most disadvantaged in the world. More than one third of school-age children have no access to school. It is estimated that as many as half a million receive no basic education.

Many families struggle to pay school fees and purchase school uniforms. Not all families can afford to give their children a proper breakfast or even one good meal a day. All the evidence indicates that school meals improve children’s concentration levels and their capacity to learn.

During the 160 days of classes, a hot meal is served in all targeted schools.

The meal meets almost half of the daily caloric requirements of children two-thirs of protein needs. It also provides about a quarter of vitamin A requirements and 60 percent of needed iron.

The programme is conducted in consort with the Ministry of Education.