What you need to know
- Free school lunches are transforming education in Sierra Leone by improving attendance, boosting children’s concentration, and helping girls stay in school.
- In communities where nearly 60% of people live below the poverty line and 75% of girls drop out after primary school, a daily meal is often the difference between learning and leaving school.
- Plan International’s Integrated School Feeding Program provides 27 million meals in Sierra Leone each year, giving children the nutrition, dignity, and hope they need to thrive.
5 ways free school lunches are changing lives in Sierra Leone
- 1. Children can finally focus in class: For students like Fatmata, learning on an empty stomach used to be nearly impossible. A daily school meal means she can now stay awake, pay attention, and participate in class. Hunger is no longer holding her back.
- 2. More children show up – and stay – in school: Teachers report a clear rise in attendance since the free school lunch program began. Children come more regularly and stay enrolled longer. This shift is especially important for girls, who face higher dropout rates.
- 3. Girls get a fair opportunity to learn: The program places special emphasis on girls, helping them stay in school, avoid early marriage, and create the future they want for themselves. In communities where girls often face additional barriers, a daily meal becomes a powerful equalizer.
- 4. Families feel less financial pressure: For many families, knowing their child will receive one nutritious meal at school is a huge relief. It reduces the pressure to send children to work or keep them home when food is scarce.
- 5. Children can dream bigger: A full stomach fuels confidence. Girls like Fatmata feel happier, stronger, and more motivated to learn. Fatmata says she wants to be a nurse one day, and now she believes it’s possible.
Key context: Why school meals matter in Sierra Leone
How do free school lunches improve classroom success in Sierra Leone?
When you enter this primary school in Kailahun district, Sierra Leone, the first thing you may notice is the joyful chatter of children – followed by the aroma of lunch drifting from the kitchen.
For 11-year-old Fatmata, a bright-eyed Grade 6 student, this simple scent means she can focus on school instead of her empty stomach. "Before, I used to come to school hungry," Fatmata recalls with a shy smile. "Sometimes my stomach would be empty from morning until afternoon, and it was hard to listen to the teacher. I would just sit and wait for the school bell to ring so I could go home.”
Her story is like that of countless children in Sierra Leone’s eastern province, a region that was devastated by the country’s civil war and ongoing economic hardship.
Today, things are different. Thanks to Plan International’s Integrated School Feeding Program, funded in partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone, Fatmata and her classmates receive one hot, nutritious meal every school day.
During the 2024–25 academic year, the Integrated School Feeding Program supported 855 schools across Port Loko, Moyamba, and Kailahun districts, serving 27 million meals.
“Now, when I come to school, I know I will eat,” says Fatmata firmly, clasping her red bowl in her hands. “I don’t worry about food anymore. Now I worry about passing my exams.”
How do nutritious lunches help girls stay and succeed?
While hunger affects everyone, women and girls often face the harshest consequences when food is scarce.
“Girls and women eat last and least, and they face a heightened risk of gender-based violence in their homes and communities,” says Jessica Capasso, director of emergencies and humanitarian assistance at Plan International Canada. “It is also difficult for them to earn an income and secure food, water, and essential supplies.”
Poverty and the threat of growing workloads and stress can also force families into decisions they don’t want to make. “More girls lose access to education and are increasingly at risk of early and forced marriage to reduce the financial burdens on families,” Capasso says.
Do school feeding programs boost attendance?
Teachers say yes – dramatically. “Before, many of the children didn’t come every day,” Mr. Juana, a teacher at Fatmata’s school, confirms. “They would say they were tired or that they wanted to stay home to eat. But now, they come. They know food is here.”
For Fatmata, the change is profound. “I can listen well now. When my teacher asks me questions, I answer. I don't fall asleep in class anymore,” she says.
The school meals program helps create a learning environment where children feel valued and supported. For girls like Fatmata, who often encounter additional obstacles to education, the project has meant the difference between dropping out and continuing in education.
“My parents are happy too,” she says. “They don’t worry that I will go to the farm and not come to school. They tell me, ‘Go and eat in school, go and learn.’”
As the midday bell rings, Fatmata and her classmates eagerly gather for their meal.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why are school meals important in Sierra Leone?
School meals help children focus, improve school attendance, and reduce school dropout rates – especially for girls, who face additional barriers to education.
How does the program support girls specifically?
By reducing financial pressures on families and providing a safe, supportive school environment, the program helps girls stay in school and avoid early marriage.
Who funds the school feeding program?
The Integrated School Feeding Program is delivered by Plan International in partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone.
How many meals are provided each year?
During the 2024–25 school year, the program delivered 27 million meals across 855 schools.