Lions Clubs International Foundation, World Food Program help strengthen school meals in SL

Thursday, 1 May 2025 00:41 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

LCIF Global Grants Department Manager Benjamin Futransky met with WFP Representative and Country Director Abdur Rahim Siddiqui during a recent visit to Sri Lanka, accompanied by the LCIF Sri Lanka Past International Director and Trustee Mahesh Pasqual and Area Leader P. Jeyarajan

Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) in partnership with World Food Program USA is helping to bolster Sri Lanka’s national school meal program through a contribution of $ 1 million.

The funding supports the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) Sri Lanka’s Home Grown School Feeding and rice fortification projects that allow children to receive nutrient-rich food in school.

Through this generous contribution, 100,000 children in selected schools are receiving rice fortified with iron and folic acid. Additionally, 2,700 smallholder farmers are receiving agriculture and poultry farming tools and training, empowering them to supply food for school meals.

“School feeding programs are a game changer in strengthening fragile food systems,” said WFP Sri Lanka Representative and Country Director Abdur Rahim Siddiqui. “By empowering school meal suppliers and farmers to produce food for the meals, we are creating a formal system that boosts livelihoods and enhances the sustainability of school feeding. We are grateful for the support from the Lions Clubs International Foundation and the World Food Program USA, which enables us to continue this work.”

Launched in 2020, WFP’s Home Grown School Feeding Program provides suppliers and smallholder farmers with the tools, training and other resources needed to grow food and rear poultry. By integrating farmers within the national school meal program system, they are guaranteed a steady income while schools are assured of an uninterrupted supply of fresh ingredients for their meals. This model helps improve child nutrition, boosts local economies, and financially empowers communities.

For many poor families, school feeding substitutes a considerable portion of their food expenditure. Making fortified rice available in the meals greatly improves their nutritional value, boosting children’s consumption of essential vitamins and minerals.

WFP has been supporting Sri Lanka’s national school meal program for over 20 years, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health, as part of broader efforts to address malnutrition. This latest project is jointly supported by World Food Program USA—an organisation that mobilises American policy makers, businesses, and individuals to support WFP’s mission—and LCIF, which empowers humanitarian service through grants, programs, and partnerships leveraging their worldwide network of volunteers.

Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event including Valentine ’s Day. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Flower Bouquets, Clothing, Watches, Lingerie, Gift Sets and Jewellery. Also if you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.