Hope for a better tomorrow

Long-term collaboration with local partner organisations is at the heart of the Mary’s Meals approach, and we work closely with partners to implement our school feeding. Our partner organisations bring their dedication, knowledge and reputation to our mission, allowing us to serve children in areas that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to reach. 

Here we speak to three partners - Jennifer Roumieh from Dorcas in Lebanon, Roberto Mutisse from Mozambique School Lunch Initiative (MSLI) and Mvuselelo Huni, CEO of the Organisation of Rural Associations for Progress (ORAP) in Zimbabwe – about how they collaborate with Mary’s Meals to deliver our school feeding programme and bring hope to the children we serve. 

Jennifer Roumieh, Dorcas, Lebanon

Jennifer Roumieh is a social worker for Mary’s Meals’ partner at the Tabitha Community Center in Batroun, Lebanon. She coordinates the children and volunteers at the centre to ensure the meals we serve are nutritious and distributed fairly. Many of the children face daily struggles at home, with their families unable to provide healthy meals because of unemployment and economic collapse. Hunger impacts their concentration and ability to learn, while insecurity and social tensions add further strain that makes it harder for them to succeed in education. 

How does Mary’s Meals’ school feeding programme give hope to children, families, and communities?  

“It brings stability to their lives. For children who often don’t know if they will have enough to eat at home, receiving a daily meal at our centre gives them something to count on. 

“Hope is what allows children and their families to look beyond the daily struggles of life. When parents know that their child will eat at least one healthy meal each day, it relieves them of some of the burden they carry. For the children, hope motivates them to learn, dream, and believe in better opportunities. Without hope, the cycle of poverty and hardship feels impossible to break; with hope, there is the possibility of change.”  

How does the school feeding programme give you hope? 

“It gives me hope to see how one daily meal can lift a child’s spirit, improve their focus and open the door to new dreams. It shows me that even the smallest steady acts of kindness can change lives.  

“My hope is that the children here in Lebanon grow up with dignity and joy, knowing they are valued and cared for. I wish for them to have opportunities to learn, to explore their talents and to believe that tomorrow can be brighter. I hope they never lose the courage to dream.” 

Roberto Mutisse, Mozambique School Lunch Initiative (MSLI), Mozambique 

As Executive Director of MSLI, our partner in the country, Roberto Mutisse oversees planning and operations. Many communities in Mozambique face severe challenges including drought and floods that disrupt agriculture and create widespread food insecurity. The lack of food negatively impacts the education of thousands of children across the country through increased absenteeism and dropout rates. MSLI and Mary’s Meals collaborate with local communities to deliver the feeding programme across Mabalane District. 

How does Mary’s Meals give hope to children, families, and communities?  

“The school feeding programme gives hope to children, families, and communities by providing nutritious meals to children, which combats hunger and malnutrition, giving them opportunity to study and improve their academic performance for a bright future. Through this programme, children can dream of a better future which will eventually break the cycle of poverty in their communities. 

“Hope is very important as it creates resilience, gives them purpose to fight against adversity and strengthens the unity of communities. When they have hope, they will fight for their goals, and they will be motivated to believe in themselves that they can solve the problems of their families and communities and overcome them.”  

How does the school feeding programme give you hope? 

“When there is food in school, children attend and stay in school. Education builds human capital which leads to productivity, innovation, and economic growth. It is through education that communities can move from poverty to prosperity and from dependence to self-reliance. Therefore, I believe that, with the school feeding programme, children will be able to complete their education and have the necessary skills to open doors for them and give them brighter future. 

“I hope that the children of Mozambique get the chance to have the food and nutrition they need so they can grow up healthy. I hope they can have the opportunity to play, go to school and be happy in their childhood.” 

Mvuselelo Huni, Organisation of Rural Associations for Progress (ORAP), Zimbabwe 

Following years of failed rainy seasons, the reality of increased food insecurity and depleted crop harvests is stark for the population of Zimbabwe. Climate shocks and economic instability compound the day-to-day challenges faced by subsistence farmers and low-income households, while many basic commodities are now unaffordable for many families. 

Mary’s Meals partnered with the ORAP in 2022 and the partnership now provides a daily meal to more than 54,000 children in over 160 schools in the southern part of Matabeleland North Province. The promise of a daily meal at school helps to promote access to education in places where poverty and hunger are significant barriers to learning.

How is Mary’s Meals giving hope to children in Zimbabwe?  

“Hope is believing that tomorrow can be better. It’s about having belief in the future. The food that Mary's Meals and ORAP delivers to schools, gives the children motivation to show up for another day. One day becomes a week, then a term, then a year. Before you know it, the child has gained an education, which has the potential to change their lives.” 

“And when we change the life of a child, we transform an entire community. When food is available in schools, parents become more engaged. They become much more involved in their children's education, as they see their children excited about school. They see their children participating, doing well. They help cook the meals and take part in the school’s daily activities. 

“Parents are able to go to work because they know their children are cared for during school hours. They also see the improved pass rates and the renewed excitement for learning, and that gives them hope and confidence that tomorrow can be better.” 

Why is it important for children in Zimbabwe to have hope?  

“It's important for our children to have hope because they not only live in the present, but they will also live in the future. When children have hope – even if it's just the hope that they'll receive a meal tomorrow – it allows them to start coming out of a place of despair and imagine a brighter future. It allows them to dream about a better tomorrow. 

“My hope is that the children that ORAP and Mary’s Meals serve grow into resilient adults and build happy and meaningful lives. I would like every child in Zimbabwe to have the future they imagine for themselves.”