Cantine Scolaire also known as School Feeding Program

Last week I had the chance to join my team on a 3 day dirt bike trip to visit some of the schools in our program. The program is a partnership between Samaritan's Purse and the World Food Program. The goal of the program is to provide food for 67 schools and over 30,000 students in conflict affected areas. (Remember to click on the pictures to view them larger.)

We headed out on the bikes and met up with a WFP truck full of food. Our goal was to deliver food to  22 schools in the 3 days and also monitor the food consumption, stocks, and records of the schools to make sure the food is being used as intended and getting to the kids. Each school has a committee made up of teachers, students and parents that are in charge of unloading their school's food and also making sure the integrity of the program is kept. 

Schools vary in the different areas but a normal one looks like this. Mud and sticks with a tin roof.  The plus side of this is that its usually pretty cool inside. 

It's a team effort when the food arrives, even the little girls help out. Here they are carrying cooking oil. 

The young men team up to carry a 50 Kilo sack of flour. The food is normally rice and beans, oil, salt, and sometimes flour and cornmeal. 

The Mama's work hard to prepare a meal for a school with over 1000 students! 

Best part of the trip! Getting to see kids that otherwise might not be eating, get a solid meal. The program is not only helping kids stay in school, but at almost every school, attendance numbers are much greater than expected or that were registered at the beginning of the year.

  Here are the guys that make it all happen. Jimmy, Baba, Robert, (Mufalme not pictured.) These guys are out on the road away from there families, at the very least, two weeks per month in the rain, heat, dust, and in some cases very dangerous areas. Thanks for all you do! 

Matthew 18:5

"And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me."