WVT launches school feeding awareness campaign

DODOMA: THE World Vision Tanzania (WVT) has launched a one month social mobilisation campaign to promote access to school meals, aiming to raise awareness, foster partnerships and encourage community ownership.

The initiative seeks to enhance child nutrition and improve school attendance and academic performance across the country.

Speaking during the campaign’s launch in Dodoma, WVT National Director, Mr James Anditi, said school meals have the significant impact on children’s education and wellbeing.

Despite clear evidence linking school feeding programmes to improved attendance, concentration and academic achievement, many schools still struggle to provide consistent, nutritious meals due to limited resources and inadequate community involvement.

“This challenge is further compounded by low awareness among parents, faith leaders and policymakers about the long-term benefits of investing in school meals,” Mr Anditi said.

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The campaign, which began in August, is being led in collaboration with key government ministries and development partners. It also involves strong support from community-based organisations, schools, faith leaders and the media.

According to Mr Anditi, the campaign focuses on raising awareness, promoting community ownership and mobilising contributions whether in the form of food, labour, or financial resources.

All activities will align with national frameworks, including the National School Feeding Guidelines, the National Food and Nutrition Policy and the Education Sector Development Plan (2025/26–2029/30), ensuring alignment with government priorities and long-term sustainability.

“School feeding programmes have proven to be vital in improving student attendance, academic focus and overall performance,” he emphasised.

Mr Anditi also noted WVT’s commitment to strengthening partnerships between government agencies, NGOs, the private sector and local communities, positioning school meals as a shared responsibility and a national priority.

This, he said, is essential for achieving broader goals in education, health and economic development. Despite several efforts by the government and partners such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and Project Concern International (PCI), a majority of schools, especially those serving day scholars still lack regular meal provision.

The National School Feeding Guideline (NSFG 2021), he explained, provides a framework for expanding these efforts nationwide.

“Meals are not just a tool to fight malnutrition and stunting,” Mr Anditi added.

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“They are key to increasing attendance, improving concentration and boosting learning outcomes.” He expressed concern that many children in Tanzania attend school on an empty stomach, which significantly hampers their ability to concentrate, learn and succeed academically.

Without urgent and coordinated efforts, he warned, the cycle of hunger and poor educational outcomes will continue, undermining national development objectives.

The campaign will feature a range of awareness-raising activities, including internal launches, the distribution of flyers and posters via social media and WhatsApp, school-based events and community engagement initiatives involving business leaders, faith groups and media stakeholders.