Porridge is the greatest motivator
Our media manager, Gary Armstrong, reports on how Mary's Meals is changing the story for Mahlon and his fellow pupils in Zimbabwe
“You can notice someone who is starving, or someone will tell you that they didn’t eat yesterday and today. As a teacher, as a human being, you feel empathy for them.”
In the playground at Zhakata Primary School in Zimbabwe’s Mashonaland East Province, teacher Fortunate Chifamba is reflecting on past experiences in schools which didn’t have feeding programmes. The 48-year-old, who educates Early Childhood Development and Grade 1 students, transferred to Zhakata in 2022.
As she talks, there is a hive of activity in the background, with her pupils having just eaten what may be their only meal of the day. Mary’s Meals has been providing daily school meals for children in Zimbabwe since 2018. “Where there was no Mary’s Meals, there was a lot of truancy. The child can leave home, but they don’t arrive at school. If a hungry child comes to class, they’ll sleep.
“Here, at Zhakata, porridge is the greatest motivator. Children come to school for porridge, then they can learn after.”
Fortunate, who has three grandchildren studying at the school, says that because of the crippling drought which follows several failed rainy seasons, some youngsters can go days without eating and families rely on Mary’s Meals to get food for their children.
“In this community, the biggest challenge is hunger. The impact of the El Niño weather pattern means there’s nothing to eat. The mothers ask us: ‘can you please give him a double portion? He’s had three or four days without eating,’” Fortunate says.
Not long after the students had huddled in the shade of a tree, holding their bright blue mugs of steaming porridge, a ‘dust devil’ - a strong, but isolated whirlwind, swept through the playground, forcing children to run for shelter, threatening to tear roofs off the school buildings and serving as a stark reminder of the unpredictability of the weather here.
Despite the devastating drought – and the looming prospect of yet another failed rainy season – Fortunate speaks passionately about her pupils’ prospects and believes the power of education can change their lives.
A positive impact on the community
Driving through the gates at Zhakata, it appears the school buildings are in good condition. Most of the children are dressed in green uniforms. Yet on closer inspection, extreme poverty is evident.
Although classrooms are colourful, they’re crammed full, and the walls are cracked. It is the culture here for parents to ensure their children have uniforms – they lose confidence when they don’t feel part of the group – but many of these clothes are torn, stained and hand-me-downs from years gone by.
Head teacher, Charles Muchemwa, is responsible for 472 children, aged between four and 12, at Zhakata.
In his office, in the corner of one of those bright, bustling classrooms, he is keen to share statistics which show the development of his students in recent years. Attendance is rising, absenteeism is falling and pass rates have jumped from 55% in 2021 to 62% in 2023.
A promise of hope
Dropouts were common before the arrival of the school feeding programme, which Mary's Meals provides in partnership with Mavambo Orphan Care, at Zhakata.
After sleeping on an empty stomach, Mahlon used to spend his days looking for bush fruits simply to have something to eat. He admits that if he was to go to school without food: “I would feel powerless to write or participate in class.”
Not only did his absence stunt the 11-year-old's education and his emotional wellbeing, it also profoundly impacted his mum, Irene, who after the death of Mahlon’s father in 2020, is solely responsible for providing for Mahlon and his two younger siblings, aged two and three.
Irene, 46, says: “It affected me so much to see my child failing to go to school just because there is no food in my household. I hate that feeling of being a failure. I try by all means to work hard so that the gaps of his father are not seen.”
Yet today, with the promise of a full mug of Mary’s Meals porridge to look forward to, Mahlon “doesn’t want any disturbance that stops him coming to school.”
“Before, there was nothing motivating him to come to school and get an education,” Irene says.
“He is now a high-spirited individual. He’s regularly a top 10 performer. When he gets home, he doesn’t feel sleepy, he’s asking ‘can I have my books so I can do homework?’ He’s more energised than ever.”
