School feeding program improves attendance and social ties in Musenyi

Burundian and Congolese parents cooperate to run a school canteen for children in the Musenyi refugee camp in Burundi.

The initiative, supported by the World Food Programme (PAM), provides meals to motivate children to attend school. Local Burundian parents provide firewood and help prepare meals, while Congolese refugees provide ingredients like cassava leaves. The parents also act as interpreters, helping the two groups communicate in Kirundi and Kiswahili.

Claver Barihuta, the director of Ecofo Butegeri, says the program began in the third quarter of the school year to combat high dropout rates caused by hunger. Currently, more than 1,900 students, including about 300 Burundian children, receive meals at this specific site. The school meal program has increased attendance, as parents note that children now stay in school because they know they will receive food at the end of the day.

Despite the success, the program faces several logistical hurdles. Claver Barihuta reports a shortage of water, which makes it difficult for children to wash their hands before eating. The kitchen is also small and poorly ventilated, causing smoke and heat issues during the rainy season. To address these problems, the World Food Programme plans to provide improved cookstoves and briquettes to reduce wood consumption and improve safety.