Donat Murwanashyaka has been a teacher for several years and now serves as the Head Teacher of Ngoma Primary School in Kamonyi District, Rwanda.
When he first arrived at the school, one of the biggest challenges he noticed was keeping students in the classroom.
"Many of our students came from vulnerable households. They would miss school or leave early because they were hungry. Some even fell asleep during lessons. It was discouraging for everyone — both teachers and students."
Since Good Neighbors Rwanda’s implementation of Nourishing the Futures: School Meals Project, the school has seen remarkable improvements. “Before the project, our average monthly attendance was around 76%. Today, we consistently exceed 98%,” Mr. Murwanashyaka proudly shares. “Absenteeism has dropped, and learners are more active and engaged in class.”
For Mr. Murwanashyaka, the program is about far more than feeding children.
“When children are fed, they stay in class, they learn better, and they dream bigger,” he says.
Ngoma Primary School is just one of 18 schools supported through the project, reaching 6,898 students in total.
Across these schools, the initiative provided 62,082 kilograms of maize flour, doubling meal portions for children — from 50g to 100g for nursery students, 100g to 140g for primary students, and 140g to 190g for secondary students. These larger, more nutritious meals have helped children stay focused, healthy, and motivated to learn.
The project also strengthened local capacity by training 36 cooks and 18 storekeepers on safe food handling, hygiene, and meal preparation.
Meanwhile, 23,064 students underwent nutritional status screening, including height, weight, and BMI measurements to ensure that health improvements were properly monitored.
To make school meals sustainable, the project supported the creation and maintenance of 18 school kitchen gardens and distributed tools such as irrigation pipes and hoes. In addition, eight school kitchens were rehabilitated, including two newly constructed, and equipped with 18 cooking stoves, 1,080 dishes, 11,956 cups, 100 jugs, 500 ladles, and 11,956 plates and spoons.
These efforts ensured that meals were prepared safely and efficiently, even in resource-limited schools.
The transformation did not end at school. 535 parents participated in community cooking demonstrations and training sessions on how to prepare nutritious meals and improve their children’s diets.
“Parents now take a genuine interest in school life,” says Mr. Murwanashyaka. “They feel proud to contribute and to learn new ways to care for their families.”
The project’s inclusive approach fostered stronger collaboration between schools, families, and local communities. This has turned meal times into moments of learning and empowerment.
Through “Nourishing the Futures,” Good Neighbors Rwanda is helping shape a generation of healthier, more hopeful learners. For teachers like Donat, each meal served is an investment in a brighter tomorrow.
Good Neighbors International continues to provide essential food items such as maize flour, beans, and other staples for primary and secondary students, along with sorghum flour for nursery-level porridge. Complementary cooking materials also help ensure that every meal is prepared safely and efficiently.
These efforts are making a real difference by improving children’s health, increasing school attendance, and helping them stay focused in class. However, many more schools and communities still need support to ensure that every child receives nutritious meals each day.
Good Neighbors is an international humanitarian and development organization founded in 1991, working in over 50 countries to make the world a place without hunger and where people live in harmony. Engaging with over 200 communities globally, we empower people and transform communities through social and economic development initiatives. Good Neighbors has General Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) since 1996.
For further information, please contact Good Neighbors Global Partnership Center.
Good Neighbors is a global NGO dedicated to improving the lives of children and communities in over 50 countries.
Good Neighbors has held a General Consultative Status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 1996.
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