News

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.

The provision of a daily meal in their place of education is improving children’s health and
increasing school enrolment in rural Zimbabwe.

Twelve-year-old Tanaka is one of over 3 million children now receiving daily meals through Mary’s Meals, thanks to a recent expansion that brought school feeding to every pupil at her school in Zimbabwe.

Mary’s Meals expanded in Zimbabwe in early 2025, reaching 68,000 more children. As we mark more than 3 million fed globally, Communications Director Felicity Read reflects on the programme’s impact in remote areas.

Mary’s Meals began more than 20 years ago with the vision that every child in the world receives one daily meal in their place of education. Today, we are reaching more than 3 million children and with every meal there is hope of a better future.

Read a thoughtful message from Magnus as we mark the milestone of serving over 3 million children a nutritious meal in their place of education, every school day.

Steph Bungay, Mary’s Meals Content Manager, recently visited Namingwere Primary in southern Malawi—one of hundreds of schools newly added to the programme this year—as part of an expansion now feeding over 3 million children daily.

The impact of our daily school meals goes far beyond reducing a child’s immediate hunger – it can help to unlock potential, strengthen communities and inspire change.

The promise of providing daily school meals encourages children into the classroom, giving them the opportunity to receive an education and the hope of a brighter future.

Teachers, parents and volunteers come together to run the school feeding programme – helping to build connections, cooperation and hope across the community.

Daily school meals can have a transformative effect on children living in poverty – helping them to grow, their families to thrive and enabling their communities to break the cycle of poverty they live in.

20-year-old Mary’s Meals volunteer, Lucia Höfer, is cycling more than 400 kilometres to raise funds to feed some of the world’s poorest children – and you are invited to take part!

Luigi Farroni is currently walking 3,000 kilometres across southern Europe to raise awareness of Mary's Meals’ vision that every child receives one daily meal in their place of education.

World Hunger Day was established in 2011 to highlight the global food crisis and inspire action to help create a world without hunger. But how well are we progressing towards this collective goal?

Whether it’s becoming a regular giver, fundraising for us or volunteering your time, you can make an incredible difference to the children we serve by getting involved with our charity.

Rob Padberg, founder of our partner, BND, talks about how Haitian children living in poverty and without access to education are recruited into armed gangs.

I thank God for Pope Francis – that his suffering has come to end, and for the brave and dignified way he lived his last illness. This is a day of Resurrection. Pope Francis has joined Jesus, who has visited him as he did with Peter and the apostles. First thing after Easter, he came to his friends! To grant him peace.

A special Easter message from our founder and CEO, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow and a reflection of the impact of Mary’s Meals

Mary’s Meals works closely with our partner, BREAD, to serve meals to more than 55,000 children marginalised by poverty in India.

Father Joson, director of Mary’s Meals’ partner in India, talks about how the promise of a daily meal helps to bring children to school.