ActionAid Launches School Feeding Program For 800 Children Sardauna LGA

The ActionAid Nigeria, in collaboration with key government agencies and the Women and Children Health Empowerment Foundation (WACHEF), has launched the Innovative Action for School Feeding Programme for 800 children in the border communities of Mayo Ndaga and Sakaka in the Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The Deputy Country Director and the National Program Manager of the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (RH-NHGSFP), Dr. Princess Aderemi Adebowale, said the program aligns with the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSEP) under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) of the federal government.

Speaking at the launch of the project, the first in Taraba since 2018, Dr. Adebowale expressed joy at the extension of the program to the Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State, while emphasizing the importance of sustainable school feeding programs in Nigeria, particularly in underserved communities.

She noted that the program will increase sustainable access to healthy and balanced meals for pupils in border communities in Taraba State.

ActionAid Deputy Country Director, Hajiya Suwaiba Muhammad Dankabo, said the program is aimed at combating malnutrition, improving school retention, and enhancing the overall well-being of children in underserved border communities, hence the choice of Mayo Ndaga and Sakaka in Sardauna Local Government Area. Emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable school feeding solutions in Nigeria, she lamented that "malnutrition continues to affect millions of children, limiting their physical and cognitive development."

Despite efforts by successive governments, "poverty," as she stated, "remains a significant challenge, with over 133 million Nigerians living below the poverty line."

She said that so far, 352,900 people in Sardauna, including rural and urban, excluded and vulnerable groups, indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities, have been captured as indirect beneficiaries through job creation that will emanate from the program.

She appreciated the technical and financial support from the ECOWAS Commission and the Spanish Agency for International Development, also calling on community leaders to take charge of the project as a community matter.

Also speaking, the Executive Director of WACHEF, Jaafar Ahmad Magaji, said the program aims to provide nutritious meals for 800 children, improving their health, academic performance, and overall development. Stressing that the program represents more than just a feeding initiative, he stated, "It is a commitment to ensuring every child has access to a nutritious meal, fostering their well-being and educational success."