Lunch program to promote Inclusive & Equity Quality Education
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What is the Lunch program?
In order to minimize drop out rate and provide quality education, HIS-Nepal provides lunch/local snacks to students in 2 Basic Schools of Likhu-Tamakoshi Rural Municipality of Ramechhap district in state no 3. This program directly benefits 119 students and 9 teachers from that area.
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Why the Lunch program?
To contribute towards inclusive and equitable quality education by facilitating improved access to School Education and Adult literacy for poor and marginalized communities.
Drop out rate in primary level is high in Nepal. There are many causes of that but one main reason is linguistics and logistics barrier in school. Children are not given education in the language they speak at home and they are not provided food at school. Distance of school, staying all day with empty stomach and different medium language in class room than at home made children drop out their school before completing primary level.
HIS Nepal has prioritized inclusive and equitable education as one of the important components for community transformation, and ending poverty discrimination in all its forms. We work together with local communities, Government schools, school management committees and parents to bring the quality education.
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What results or changes has this program brought?
The following positive changes are seen in the schools as said by the teachers:-
1. Regular attendance of Students
2. No more junk food & children have stopped asking money to parents.
3. Paying great attention towards teaching
4. Children have stopped crying in the Classroom as now they aren't hungry all day.
5. Students are happy to go school, no complain about school by children at home.
6. Students stay all day in school.
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Updates & Feedbacks
Representatives & Volunteers from HIS-Nepal visit the 2 schools every year.
During the visit, warm jackets are distributed to the children. Additionally, fun classes like music class, art & crafts class, sports and games are given to the students. Volunteers also paint the school area to improve the school's infrastructures.
Representatives & Volunteers get to talk with the children directly. According to the volunteers, the students love the lunch program and they enjoy coming to school because of the lunch program. They find the food very tasty as well as nutritious. Students shared their happiness to the volunteers and told them how they no longer have to stay hungry all day. They are very encouraged to come to school. The parents and teachers also shared that their students or children get warm and healthy lunch, they are also provided with warm jackets on winter due to which no children from the two schools get cold during winter.
