1.5 million reasons to smile!

Today, we’ve reached an important milestone – 1,504,471 children around the world now enjoy Mary’s Meals at school!

Back to all stories | Posted on 30 July 19 in NewsBlog

With your help, more than 1.5 million plates of hope are being served in classrooms from Malawi to Myanmar – and many countries in between.

These nutritious school meals are changing lives by giving hungry children the energy to learn and the confidence to succeed.

Pupils at Jacaranda School for Orphans near Limbe, Malawi share the wonderful news

In Malawi, where the first Mary’s Meals feeding programme was launched back in 2002, we’ve welcomed 18,000 children to our global family since the start of the year – and the pupils at Jacaranda School for Orphans near Limbe, Malawi, were delighted to show their appreciation.

Our founder, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, said: “While numbers have never been the most important thing for us, this is another wonderful milestone. It gives us an opportunity to celebrate and give thanks to every single person who makes our work possible – from those making donations, to those volunteering to cook and serve Mary’s Meals to hungry children in their communities.”

“Each of them plays a crucial part in this mission – a mission that, given how many children remain hungry and out of school in the world today, has only just begun.”

Pupils at Kwenje Primary School in Zambia are among 15,000 children across the country who recently began receiving Mary’s Meals in their place of education.

11-year-old Alpha dreams of becoming a pilot. The promise of a mug of porridge is helping those dreams take flight. He said: “We used to be hungry and drowsy in class. Now porridge gives me energy!”

Alpha attends Kwenje Primary School in Zambia, where we recently began serving Mary's Meals

Hilda Banda, head teacher at Kwenje Primary School has also noticed the difference nutritious meals are making.

She said: “I am thankful for the great work that Mary’s Meals is doing! The programme has really had a positive impact. It has encouraged children to come to school. Enrolment and performance in all classes have gotten better.”

Thank you so much for playing a crucial part in our mission!