I participated in the WFP USA campaign on behalf of We Are Women Online and The Mission List and I am being compensated for this post. The opinions contained within are my own.
If you’ve never been hungry it’s probably difficult to imagine living with an empty stomach. But in fact, an estimated 66 million students across the developing world will go to school hungry.
To address this global problem, the World Food Program USA (WFPUSA) is launching the Feed a Dream Back to School Campaign beginning today to provide home grown school meals that lift up the entire community. Local ingredients are being used to benefit local children and local farmers.
You and I can help feed a dream by packing our lunches today through this coming Friday, then by donating the money saved to the Feed a Dream School Lunch Program.
To understand exactly how the WFPUSA works, I joined a call with Fatuma Mohamed, senior program assistant responsible for the food distribution at various camps since 2005. As a child Fatuma lived in a camp and received hot meals through the school meals program in drought-stricken Kenya. This was at a time when the Somali community did not believe in allowing girls to go to school. But at the urging of her mother, after the death of her father and against the wishes of her uncles, Fatuma was able to attend school. And as she explained to those of us on the call, her education was partially encouraged by the incentive that she was fed at the camps. This remains true today for girls especially whose responsibilities are still valued more at home.
Fatuma went on to receive an advanced degree. Her life in fact is a testament to how school meals can be life-changing for the world’s poorest children. For it cannot be disputed that nutritious meals help to improve a child’s health, their ability to learn and in turn, an education will improve their life chances.
Fatuma reminded us as our conversation drew to a close that, “Women are the foundation of every society. Nothing can move forward with a woman, mother, daughter or girl. Today what was true for her as a girl is still very much the same. Sometimes the only meal a child has is at school. Our contribution [in society],” she continued, “is usually not identified but women are the foundation in society. Nothing can move forward without a woman, mother, daughter or a girl. ”
HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED
Last year, WFP provided meals to over 24 million school children in 60 countries. This year WFPUSA is working with 400,000 refugees and 70,000 children, all of whom need us to feed a dream. A simple commitment to pack five lunches will feed one child for an entire year in one of the refugee camps in Kenya, Niger and Honduras.
We are not being asked to NOT eat but to simply pack a lunch. Just bring your lunch to work for 5 days and then donate that money to meals for Kenya, Honduras or Niger. The WFP Campaign goal is to bring 300,000 school meals to children with this campaign.
ConnieFoggles says
It’s helpful to see how a “real” person has been helped by this worthy program.
Patricia A Patton says
Indeed Connie. Loved the opportunity to write about this.
Deborah Davis says
Thank you for sharing this important cause with us.
I am spreading the word on social media and participating at the World Food Program website.
Patricia A Patton says
My absolute pleasure. Thank you for spreading the word and reading the post.
Helene Cohen Bludman says
Very worthy cause. I will help spread the word.
Patricia says
Thanks Helene.
Valerie says
Something about hungry children fills me with despair, especially the realization that it’s a worldwide problem, in addition to being in our own neighborhoods. Thanks for sharing this easy way to help!
Patricia A Patton says
Hi Valerie
It is an easy way. I think what impressed me about this campaign that makes me want to do more is it requires very little. Such a small thing on our part will yield large and meaningful results. Please share and thank you for visiting the site.