One Cup at a Time
Inside Thunduwike’s Home-Grown School Meals Program
A simple bowl of porridge has become a beacon of hope and a powerful reason to learn for children at Thunduwike Primary School in Mpherembe, Rumphi. Serving an expansive catchment area of five villages and supporting 788 learners, comprising 389 girls and 399 boys, the promise of a daily meal is drawing young learners to the classroom, many arriving each morning with nothing but a cup or a plate in their hands, eager for the day ahead.
A bowl of porridge the reason learners keep coming back to school.
What began as an intervention to combat hunger has evolved into a beautiful demonstration of local ownership. Thunduwike Primary School is one of the target schools where Ulalo is implementing the School Meals Program (SMP) under the Community Activation Natural Resources Management and Improvement of Social Infrastructure (CANARASI) Project. Funded by Durch Bildung (CdB) and the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation in Germany, the project takes a home-grown approach, but its ultimate success lies in the hands of the community itself.
Learners lining up to receive their cup of porridge
Rather than standing idle as passive recipients, the Thunduwike community has stepped up as active partners. Recognizing the vital importance of the program for their children’s future, local families have mobilized to provide essential resources, including maize and soya beans, to keep the kitchens running. Furthermore, community members regularly volunteer their time to show up at the school early in the morning to prepare and serve the fresh porridge.
This collective effort is yielding remarkable results where they matter most: in the classrooms. Attendance, particularly among the lower classes, has skyrocketed. Knowing there is a nutritious meal waiting for them has given learners a consistent reason to look forward to school, effectively curbing absenteeism and keeping children engaged in their foundational years of education.
Volunteer community cooks serving up more than just porridge.
According to members of the School Attendance Committee (SAC) working hand in hand with our field officers, the program has completely shifted how the community views its role in education. Parents are no longer just sending their children to school; they are actively fueling the system that feeds them, ensuring that the burden of hunger does not stand in the way of a child's right to learn.
While the program still faces day-to-day operational shortfalls, the unwavering dedication of the five surrounding villages proves that when a community unites around its children, lasting change becomes possible. At Thunduwike Primary School, the School Meals Program is doing more than filling plates; it is strengthening the ecosystem of education, fostering shared responsibility, and opening doors to a brighter future for these 788 girls and boys, one cup of porridge at a time.