Mary's Meals in the Middle East

Through a network of in-country volunteers, and made from ingredients sourced locally, Mary’s Meals is helping to keep children in the classroom through the promise of a daily meal, whilst strengthening local resilience and driving local ownership in programme delivery.

These meals not only remove the barrier of hunger, but they also create access to education, whether that’s keeping children in school or bring them into the classroom for the first time. A guaranteed meal every school day can help alleviate household pressure and give families an opportunity to break the generational cycles of hunger.

Today, our work is more important than ever.

Mary's Meals in the Middle East

Around the world, conflict, unrest, and environmental crises are increasing food insecurity. For families already living in poverty, these shocks can mean going without food, taking children out of school or losing access to education altogether.

This is why the Middle East is such an important region for Mary’s Meals’ work.

Mary’s Meals started operating in the Middle East in 2016, and currently delivers school feeding programmes in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon, working through local partners that know their communities and understand the realities on the ground.

Our work in Yemen

In Yemen, our largest programme in the region, school feeding is helping children facing severe poverty and food insecurity to receive a nutritious meal while continuing their education.

Our work in Syria

In Syria, our programme supports children whose lives and education have been disrupted by years of conflict and instability. With meals not only provide the necessary nourishment but also helping children return to learning and bringing a sense of routine and normalcy to lives that have experienced enormous disruption.

Our work in Lebanon

And in Lebanon, our partnership with Dorcas enables Mary’s Meals to reach children in primary school and informal education centres, including a centre located within a refugee settlement. For families who have lost everything through displacement, having meals for their children is a lifeline.

Mary's Meals' delivery model

Due to our agile delivery model, Mary's Meals is able to adapt their approach in these challenging environments to keep the promise made to the children in their programmes. From conflict-affected communities to areas experiencing the impacts of climate change, and remote communities where reaching children has previously been extremely difficult, their work continues, often as the only NGO in the area.

Whilst Mary's Meals is able to operate effectively in the Middle East, growing tensions in the region are increasing the risks of food insecurity for families, already devastated by years of conflict.

This is where the business community has an important role to play.

How can businesses help?

By working in partnership with businesses and organisations in the regions where their programmes operate, Mary’s Meals is able to deepen our connections with the local communities and support businesses in investing in their future.

Because the child receiving a meal today is part of the workforce, economy and community of tomorrow.

When businesses invest in children’s education and wellbeing, they are investing not only in individual children, but in the strength and resilience of the communities around them and, ultimately, in the future environment in which those businesses will operate.

If you would like to learn more about our work or discuss partnership opportunities, please reach out to our Executive Director, Marie Doyle marie.doyle@marysmeals.org, or our Corporate Partnerships Manager, Matthew Davidson matthew.davidson@marysmeals.org.

Give today

Every donation made can help serve a child with a vital meal and remove the barrier of hunger in accessing an education.

Because when every child receives a daily meal in their place of education, they have the opportunity to learn, grow and hope for a brighter future.