ActionAid Nigeria launches school feeding programme in Taraba

ActionAid Nigeria, in collaboration with key government agencies and the Women and Children Health Empowerment Foundation (WACHEF), has launched the Innovative Action for School Feeding Programme in Taraba State.

The launch, which took place on Thursday in Gembu, the administrative headquarters of the Sardauna Local Government Area, as noticed by The Guardian, is being implemented in the Mayo-Ndaga and Sah-Kaka communities.

The initiative, which was unveiled at an inception meeting in the council, according to the ActionAid Deputy Country Director, Hajiya Suwaiba Muhammad Dankabo, is aimed at combating malnutrition, improving school retention, and enhancing the overall well-being of children in underserved border communities.

Emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable school feeding solutions in Nigeria, she lamented that “Malnutrition continues to affect millions of children, limiting their physical and cognitive development.”

Despite efforts by successive governments, “poverty,” as made known by her, “remains a significant challenge, with over 133 million Nigerians living below the poverty line.”

The programme, which aligns with the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSEP) under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), she said, seeks to institutionalise school feeding as a sustainable intervention.

She added, “Research indicates that a well-implemented school feeding programme can boost enrollment by 30% and reduce absenteeism by 50%.”

Supporting the position of the Deputy Country Director, the National Program Manager of the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (RH-NHGSFP), Dr. Princess Aderemi F. Adebowale, emphasized the importance of sustainable school feeding programmes in Nigeria, particularly in underserved communities.

Underscoring the significance of school feeding programmes in improving child nutrition, increasing school enrollment, and supporting local farmers, she highlighted the RH-NHGSFP’s role in driving social investment through improved nutrition, local agricultural production, and economic opportunities for women-led cooperatives.

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She also stressed the need for strong partnerships between government agencies, development partners, civil society, and local communities to ensure the long-term success of school feeding initiatives.

Also speaking, the Executive Director of WACHEF, Jaafar Ahmad Magaji, said the programme aims to provide nutritious meals for 800 children, improving their health, academic performance, and overall development.

Stressing that the programme represents more than just a feeding initiative, the move, as made known by him, “is a commitment to ensuring every child has access to a nutritious meal, fostering their well-being and educational success.”