Reaching remote communities in Malawi
In a remote Malawian village where hunger has held back progress, the arrival of Mary’s Meals at Namingwere Primary is driving change—part of this year’s expansion that now feeds over 3 million children daily worldwide.
Namingwere Primary School is situated in Nyambi village in southern Malawi. It’s a place where hunger casts a heavy shadow over the hopes and dreams of the children.
The village is so remote that, until recently, many in the community believed the support of a school feeding initiative could never reach this far. Yet, despite these challenges, there is now promise of a brighter future thanks to the introduction of our school feeding programme.
A community impacted by food insecurity and isolation
Hunger is not just a personal struggle in this village – it’s a community-wide crisis that undermines both daily life and future development. Louis Yahaya, Senior Chief Khanene of Nyambi village, explains that most families in the area rely on farming to survive, but are unable to afford fertiliser, making successful harvests nearly impossible: “People are struggling terribly,” he says. “Most families go to sleep without having eaten that day.”
Food insecurity impacts every aspect of life in Nyambi – especially education. Hunger forces children to miss school, as they are often sent to work in small-scale businesses or charcoal production to support their families. Those who do attend often arrive with empty stomachs, unable to focus in class. With low enrolment and poor academic performance, there was concern that future generations of young people would not be able to escape the cycle of poverty.
One of the most pressing challenges facing the school is its remoteness. Sulaimana Daudi, Senior Chief Puluma II, voices a long-standing concern that the community’s isolation would exclude it from essential developmental projects: “When I visited Mangochi [a township in southern Malawi], I saw that most schools there provide children with daily school meals,” he says. “I thought to myself, why do we not have this in my area? But when I heard Mary’s Meals were finally coming to schools in our area, I was so happy, and I am so grateful for this opportunity.”
This sense of being forgotten is not uncommon in such isolated places, where basic infrastructure is limited and support systems are few. However, the arrival of Mary’s Meals represents a shift in this story.
Mary’s Meals – a catalyst for community development
Mary’s Meals brings more than just food – the newly-established school feeding programme is delivering hope of a brighter future for pupils at Namingwere Primary. The simple act of providing porridge during the school day is a powerful incentive for children to attend regularly and actively participate in their learning.
Chief Yahaya and Chief Daudi both highlight education as the key to transforming their community. Without it, they fear their children will remain trapped in the same cycle of hunger and hardship. “For a community to develop, its members must be educated,” says Chief Yahaya. “Where there is no education, nothing good can happen.”
Mary’s Meals’ school feeding programme is not only supporting the village’s children to get an education, it’s also giving the wider community confidence that their children can grow up healthy and educated, lead fulfilling lives and contribute positively to their families and wider society.
The optimism of the school’s head teacher, Luciano Ngiriki, is infectious. “These children who are staying at home will now be coming to school in large numbers because they know there will be food. I know enrolment will rise, there will be no dropouts, and attendance will be higher.”
Describing what it means for the school to have a feeding programme, he smiles: “I feel like I am walking on sunshine.”
Beyond education, the programme is fostering a sense of responsibility and cooperation in the community. Parents have pledged to contribute firewood and help with cooking duties, while the school will construct a kitchen. This collaborative spirit ensures that the programme is a locally-led and sustainable solution.
A better, brighter future
For Chief Yahaya, Mary’s Meals’ school feeding programme is just the beginning: “My dream is that the children of this community will get an education and to be productive members of society,” he says. “Mary’s Meals bringing this initiative is a first step to achieving this dream.”
The children of Namingwere Primary School can now focus on learning rather than simply surviving; their parents and elders can look to the future with cautious optimism; and the village is learning that remoteness does not always mean invisibility.
Just £19.15, €22, $25.20 USD or $31.70 CAD provides a child with daily meals for an entire school year. Mary’s Meals is now reaching more than 3 million children with a nutritious daily meal in their place of education. While we're proud of this milestone, there are millions more children who are still hungry and out of school. Join us in the fight to end to child hunger.