Greetings from Asamanech Asmelash in Ethiopia!
I like school for two reasons: because I learn new things and I eat with my friends. Have you ever tried to focus on reading and writing when your stomach is rumbling?
I have and it’s no fun. My classmates miss school a lot, some have even dropped out because they were too hungry to pay attention. Now that our tummies are full, we can concentrate better on our lessons. Our teacher Gatso Besah is very happy with the new school feeding programme. It provides children from poor families with meals and the food is purchased from local farmers to help lift even more people out of poverty in my country. All this is possible with FAO’s help. FAO gives local farmers seeds and tools, and teaches them how to reduce the amount of food lost through poor food storage, or because of the sun or insects.
FAO also helps farmers sell their produce at markets, and works closely with the World Food Programme (WFP) that oversees school feeding programmes. We were told that the programme was very successful in Brazil, where millions of people escaped poverty and hunger thanks to the government’s “Fome Zero” (Zero Hunger) initiative. My family and I are very happy to be part of the programme. When I clap and sing with my teacher and classmates every day at school, I see a brighter future ahead.