children still need our help
Mary’s Meals is a lifeline for hungry children in Malawi
Emmanuel is 11 years old and lives in Malawi. He wakes up early and goes to his grandmother’s field to work, before walking to school where he has a mug of porridge before class.
“Porridge helps me to be healthy,” the 11-year-old says. “When I eat, I get healthy and then I have energy to learn in class and pass my exams.”
Emmanuel attends Nankuyu Primary School, a remote rural primary school located in the Chileka area of Malawi. The school has 930 pupils and as there are not enough classrooms inside, Emmanuel’s class is taught outside.
The porridge he receives from Mary’s Meals every day he attends school fills his empty stomach and helps him concentrate during lessons.
Dressed in his school uniform despite it being a Wednesday – the day when traditionally pupils are not required to wear this – Emmanuel tells us he is doing well at school.
“School is important because it will help me in the future to gain my wealth. That’s why school is important,” he says.
“I am happy when I am learning because I am being educated.”
The recent harvest has brought some relief for Emmanuel and other Malawian families living nearby. However, poor rains and an extended drought mean this will be short-lived and life will be tough again when the food runs out.
Mary’s Meals continues to be a lifeline to many affected families who know that their children will receive a good meal every day they attend school.