EVERY CHILD DESERVES A HEALTHY START IN LIFE.
Good nutrition is essential for children to grow, learn, and thrive. Our work focuses on improving children’s attendance, attentiveness, and overall wellbeing through strong investment in school nutrition, health, and hygiene.
By addressing short-term hunger and promoting healthier eating habits, our McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program - supported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) - helps strengthen both learning outcomes and children’s overall wellbeing.
Working in partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL), we support and complement the existing National School Meal Programme (NSMP) by providing USDA-donated commodities - including fortified rice and Alaskan pink salmon - ensuring nearly 100,000 children across eight districts receive a nutritious morning meal every school day.
Our work also expands into Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), supporting nutrition during the most critical years of a child’s development. Through this, we’re supporting morning meals for 10,000 pre-primary learners in two districts, through the provision of local commodities, while also supporting caregivers with core child development materials, trainings, and community based engagement
In October 2024, the Save the Children expanded its support to the government's school meal programme to schools in the Colombo district, addressing the need to support children and families living in densely populated urban areas with less access and resources to support their children's education, wellbeing and nutrition. Sejani Wilegoda/Save the Children
To further enhance the quality and sustainability of school meals, we are supporting the establishment of 100 school gardens across five districts. These gardens help improve the nutritional value of meals while building children’s practical life skills.
At the same time, we work with School Meal Providers (SMPs) to strengthen their financial literacy, savings habits, and basic business skills through the formation of approximately 100 Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), helping ensure the long-term sustainability of meal provision.
We also work to improve hygiene and create safer learning environments by supporting the renovation of school latrines and storage facilities. This is delivered through a community-driven approach, where schools, communities, and government partners lead implementation; strengthening ownership, accountability, and long-term sustainability.