School meals bring hope to children in South Sudan
Help children living in conflict and crisis.
Mary’s Meals operates extensively in areas of conflict and crisis, delivering school meals in dangerous and challenging locations. We serve some of the world’s most vulnerable children, those hardest to reach who might otherwise be forgotten.
As conflict and crisis continue to disrupt children’s lives around the world, your donation can make the difference between a child struggling in the most devastating of circumstances and a child experiencing a sense of stability and normality through school meals.
It costs just £19.15 to feed a child for a whole school year. Donate today to help us reach more children waiting for Mary's Meals.
How insecurity is impacting families in South Sudan
One of the challenging locations where we work is South Sudan, where we have been serving school meals since 2008. Together with our partner on the ground, Mary Help Association, we feed more than 85,000 children every school day in the country’s Rumbek area.
South Sudan became the world’s youngest nation when it gained independence from Sudan, on 9 July 2011. But today, fighting between government and opposition forces has resulted in loss of life, large-scale displacement of communities and destruction of agricultural land.
Our partner tells us: “In Warrap State, recurring cattle raids frequently lead to deadly clashes, while intercommunal conflicts continue to worsen the security situation in several areas where we operate, including Warrap and Central Equatoria States.
“The insecurity has caused significant displacement of families, forcing many children to interrupt their education as they move in search of safety.
Displaced children often face heightened protection risks as they live in open spaces or temporary shelters with limited access to food, healthcare, clean water, and other essential services.
School feeding supports parents facing economic hardship
Instability and the current economic climate are making life intolerable for many in South Sudan, with two thirds of the population (around 7.5 million people) identified as needing humanitarian assistance. Economic hardship is such that many families have to make the heartbreaking decision to send their children out to work rather than attending school.
Samar and her mother, Medina, live in South Sudan’s Western Bahr El Ghazal State. Medina is bringing up her daughter alone. To make money, she buys small quantities of flour to make cakes to sell; this is the family’s main source of income.
Samar explains: “When my mother has some money, we can have two meals a day. However, when there is not enough money, we may only take tea in the morning and then wait until evening to have a meal. When there is not enough food at home, I simply endure the situation.”
But thanks to Mary’s Meals, Samar can now rely on a nutritious daily meal at school.
I feel happy to come to school every day because I know that I will receive a meal. Even when I do not have anything to eat at home, I know there will be food at school.
In places torn apart by conflict, a simple school meal brings joy to a hungry child – and provides a vital safety net for a parent with little food to put on the table.
Medina says: “The school meals are a great help to me. When the children have not had enough food at home, I do not have to worry because I know they will receive a meal at school. This allows me to save the little food I have for the family meal in the evening.”
School meals are a source of hope
For children like Samar affected by the conflict and insecurity in South Sudan, regular and nourishing school meals are vital for helping them to stay healthy, supporting them to stay in school and helping them to build resilience in the face of ongoing hardship. And they are a source of hope. Our school feeding programme provides food, stability, and the opportunity for children to continue learning so that they can build a brighter future for themselves and their communities.
Despite the daily challenges she faces, Samar hopes to study hard and become a doctor so that she can help her mother and her community. She says:
The school meal helps me stay strong, concentrate on my studies, and remain focused until I return home. My dream is to complete my education and become someone who can make a positive difference in society.
Donate today
We don’t shy away from working in dangerous and challenging locations – we are always striving to reach the next child, like Samar, who needs us. This year, with our partner Mary Help Association, we have expanded our programme in South Sudan to reach more than 9,000 additional children with our school meals.
With your support, we can continue reaching children who need us most – and bring hope to many more still waiting.
