The last week for CITW Zambezi was huge, having organised over 25 tonnes of mealie meal to be delivered to fifteen of our partner schools. This delivery will ensure that over 5 400 students and teachers receive a minimum of one meal every day when they come to school, whether it is porridge in the morning when they arrive, or sadza and vegetables at lunchtime.
This delivery of food is part of our larger nutrition programme, and it comes at a crucial point in the year for these schools – and particularly the students, as it is the dry season, with scant crops and vegetables growing at home. This, paired with the ongoing ramifications of Covid-19 within the communities, means many families are struggling to support their families and provide substantial meals for them at home.
With many of the children at these schools having to walk long distances to school each day (some up to 8 kilometres one way), at this time of the year this is often done on an empty stomach. Without the nutrition they need, they can’t concentrate in class and sometimes fall asleep from exhaustion.
After this delivery, we at CITW Zambezi are now confident that every child will receive a meal until the end of third term, ensuring that they are able to focus and learn to the best of their abilities.
