Mary’s Meals And Partners Celebrating Year 1 Impact of USAID and Mary’s Meals School Feeding Programme II”
By Alfred Kollie, alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
TUBMANBURG, Liberia- The call to prioritize school feeding programs and the need for increased focus on agriculture to foster food production as a way of addressing food insecurity has been made as it has been revealed that 2 million people are food insecure in Liberia.
The call was made by USAID Deputy Director for the Education Office in Liberia on Friday, 15 December in Tubmanburg, Bomi County as USAID celebrated Year-1 impact under its “Together for the Children of Liberia” program.
The “Together for the Children of Liberia – Celebrating Year 1 Impact of USAID and Mary’s Meals School Feeding Programme II” brought together representatives from USAID, the Ministry of Education, community leaders, parents, and students.
Mary’s Meals Liberia, an international charity group with support from the USAID celebrated its mid-year project impact for Year-1 of its USAID’s $4 million grant to Mary’s Meal. Mary’s Meals has been serving school meals in Liberian schools since 2006 and has reached more than 150,000 children across the country with daily meals during school hour. The Mary’s Meals school feeding program for children cover schools in Bong, Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu, and Montserrado counties.
The “Together for the Children of Liberia – Celebrating Year 1 Impact of USAID and Mary’s Meals School Feeding Programme II” brought together representatives from USAID, the Ministry of Education, community leaders, parents, and students.
USAID has supported the work of Mary’s Meals Liberia since 2018 funding millions of nutritious meals for children at school.
Speaking during the occasion in Tubmanburg City, Mr. Barton Pogue, USAID Deputy Director for Education Office in Liberia, commended Mary’s Meal Liberia and the Liberian government for the school feeding program in Liberia.
According to Mr. Pogue, the excitement for learning in Liberia is good as such, USAID is pleased to work with the Government of Liberia, Mary’s Meal Liberia, beneficial communities, and parents in implementing the school feeding programs. He promised more support from USAID to enable the program reach more children in 2024.
He however stressed the need for Liberia to get involved in agriculture and be able to grow more food to facilitate a strong private sector free from corruption.
“We are hoping to help Liberia grow more and increase food production.
We are committed to working with you and let me say congratulations to Liberia for a peaceful, free, and fair just-ended elections in the County,” he said.
Also speaking at the occasion, Madam Paula Nawrocki, Mary’s Meals Liberia Country Director, thanked the US Government and its people, the Liberian Government through the Ministry of Education for their generosity, and kind-heartedness and for standing with local communities across Liberia to improve the lives of the Liberian children.
“On behalf of the entire Mary’s Meals Global Movement, I like to extend our deepest gratitude to the American people for their continued generosity in supporting our promise to provide a daily nutritious meal for hungry children in their place of Education”, she added.
According to Madam Nawrocki, they are currently celebrating the mid-project of the most recent two years, a $4 Million United States dollars project that began last year.
Madam Nawrocki maintained that during the year, USAID support increased their feeding program starting with 241 schools and currently covering 289 schools and feeding more than 45,000 children in five countries in Liberia.
She noted that the project continues not only to address the immediate needs of hungry children but also continues to contribute to the long-term development of communities as well as widely, address food insecurity in Liberia.
“The Food the children receive is sometimes the first meal of the day and it helps them to satisfy their hunger and gives them the energy to concentrate, participate in lessons, and make the most of their time in school” She explained.
Mary’s Meals Country Director observed that the school feeding also attracts young children to start their educational journey and to retain them in School thus giving them opportunities for a fuller and brighter future during which they can give back to their communities and country.
“We must remember that the Together for the Children of Liberia partnership with USAID requires everyone’s input and effort to fulfill our promise that every child receives one daily meal in their place of education. We rely on close, collaborative partnerships, with people and organizations who share our values, vision, and hopes for the future” She urged.
Representing the government of Liberia, assistant Minister for Personnel Services at the Ministry of Education, Tarnie Mawolo Bongalee expressed government commitment to supporting Mary’ ‘s Meal school feeding program.
“This is a huge progress and we as a government are grateful. Thank you for your commitment towards Liberian children through your school feeding program,” he said.
In 2022, USAID extended its support of Mary’s Meals feeding program, awarding a 2-year grant of $ 4 million which is now reaching some 45,000 children in 289 schools in five counties in Liberia.
On December 1, 2022, the program was officially launched in Brewerville, Montserrado County by former United States Ambassador to Liberia Michael McCarthy.