Mary’s Meals has described its school-feeding programme in the 2025/26 academic year as a success, saying many pupils enrolled and remained in class because of the free porridge provided.
On Friday, Mary’s Meals shared the 2025 Impact Report in Blantyre where its country director Angella Chipeta-Khonje said they achieved most of their goals in the 2025/26 academic year.
She said: “When the organisation rolled out the initiative in 2002, we wanted to improve school attendance, retention and progression. Over the years, we have seen increased enrolment and attendance.
“In addition, pupils now advance from one class to the next.”
Chipeta-Khonje said it costs K44 000 to feed a child for a year, adding that volunteers, well-wishers and the corporate world support the initiative.
Blantyre City Council chief executive officer Costly Chanza said hunger affected children’s education in the city.
He said: “Many people in the city come from informal settlements where they face several challenges, including hunger.
“Therefore, the porridge motivates the children to go to school because they know that they will have a meal.”
The international charity, which rolled out the programme in 2002 in Malawi, is now serving 1 300 public primary schools in the country.
