Scots provide nearly 900,000 meals for hungry children in Haiti ahead of World Cup clash

As Scotland prepare to face Haiti in the World Cup, Scots are putting rivalry aside to support the crisis-hit Caribbean country off the pitch, helping provide nearly 900,000 meals for hungry children.

Scotland open their first World Cup campaign in 28 years against Haiti in Boston on Sunday. Haiti, meanwhile, have qualified for only their second-ever World Cup finals, a remarkable feat given the team was unable to host qualification games on home soil. 

Gang violence in Haiti has reached unprecedented levels, devastating the economy and people’s lives. More than half of the population do not have enough to eat, and food is being used to lure hungry children into armed gangs.

Mary’s Meals has been serving meals in Haiti since 2006. Before the height of the violence, the charity’s programme served more than 196,000 children every school day. It continues to reach the vast majority of the children, thanks to the resilience of local partners, and donations from people in Scotland and across the world.

As the charity marks 20 years in Haiti, Mary’s Meals recently appealed for support to help Haiti’s children, prompting more than 900 Scots to donate close to £90,000. With each school meal costing just 10p, donations from across Scotland will provide almost 900,000 meals.

Emmline Touissant, main coordinator of Mary’s Meals’ school feeding programme in Haiti, says donations are already having an impact, as its people look forward to the temporary relief the World Cup will bring: “The situation in Haiti continues to be dire, but watching the World Cup should bring my fellow Haitians some moments of joy. Soccer is very popular in Haiti!

“For just a few hours, Haiti and Scotland will be rivals in a World Cup game, but the truth is the two countries have a wonderful link. We are so glad to have a great partnership with Mary’s Meals that enables us to provide reliable daily meals to many thousands of children who are facing poverty and hunger, and the terrible effects of violence and gang rule.

“Regardless of the outcome on the pitch, I know this connection we have with Scotland will remain strong and I hope the Scottish people will continue to support Mary’s Meals because we see the true impact of that generosity and the difference it makes to the children.”

In the build-up to the World Cup opener, former Scotland international and current Motherwell footballer Stephen O’Donnell – a long-time supporter of Mary’s Meals – is backing the appeal. Stephen says: “While all eyes will be on the pitch on Sunday, the match is also shining a spotlight on Haiti’s challenges off the pitch. The game holds so much excitement for me, my former teammates, the Tartan Army, and all of Scotland, but it gives everyone a chance to reflect on what’s happening in Haiti as well.

“As a father, I can only imagine how it feels to be struggling to feed your children, amid violence and the threat of your loved ones being recruited into gangs. I’m thankful there’s a charity in Scotland helping those in need, and I know the incredible work Mary’s Meals does in turning just one 10 pence coin into a nutritious meal for a child.”

Scottish donations are helping children in Haiti like Billy, who has overcome the loss of his father and his own difficult health issues to thrive in school and become top of his class. He says: “Receiving Mary’s Meals keeps me from being hungry. And it is much easier to follow the teacher and be active in class.”

There are still thousands of children whom Mary’s Meals is trying to reach. The charity is calling on the Tartan Army to support children engulfed in chaos in Haiti, as they gather around TV screens to cheer on Steve Clarke’s team on Sunday. 

Stephen adds: “It’s incredible - but not unexpected - that so many Scots have already responded to Mary’s Meals’ rallying call to reach families suffering in Haiti, and I’d urge anyone who has a spare 10p to follow in their footsteps.”

Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, Founder and CEO of Mary’s Meals, says: “I have been a Scotland fan all my life and it’s been a very long time since I’ve seen our national team play in the World Cup – the work of Mary’s Meals hadn’t even begun the last time Scotland qualified in the late 1990s!

“And how amazing that Haiti is also in the competition this year, after an even longer wait. Mary’s Meals has been supporting communities in Haiti to serve daily school meals for 20 years, so the match between the two teams holds a special significance for us. We’ve seen strong bonds between Scotland and Haiti through our work to provide Haitian children with school meals, which began at a time when most of our support came from within Scotland.

“Thank you to the many people in Scotland and beyond who are supporting Haiti ‘off the pitch’ by helping to fund our work there.”