Good nutrition is a crucial aspect of children’s physical and mental wellbeing. As our country Lebanon faces its worst economic decline in decades, children, the most vulnerable members of the society, are the first and most to suffer. Many children, especially those from the poorer communities, face the prospect of under- or malnutrition. As a result of the economic crisis, many families suddenly found themselves unable to access their lives’ savings in the banks. People started facing trouble with making ends meet, and many resolved to cut down on food rations and, if provided, food tends to be of poor nutritional value. Other families opted for a worse scenario where they dropped their children from school altogether. Children coming from the impoverished sectors of the society attend public schools where they are responsible for bringing their own breakfast with them. Lately, most of these children have been noted coming to school without any food or snacks. Through this project, Tawazon Initiative for Development aspires to improve the nutritional status of schoolchildren by providing schoolchildren with a daily breakfast.
School Breakfast Project aims to improve the nutritional status of students attending public schools in underserved areas within the Greater Beirut region.
Short-term Objectives:
- Provide students with better nutrition and help families in need with school children survive the stifling economic situation by providing a supplement of their children's nutrition at school.
- Educate students about the benefits of a good breakfast routine.
- Teach students to apply proper hand, personal and classroom hygiene and recycling.
Long-term Objectives:
- Improve school performance by enabling a conducive environment to better learning through improving students’ nutrition.
- Ensure better health and less sick leaves for students.
- Enable a healthy environment that encourages students to go to school and, therefore, improve their attendance.
- Instill in students the culture of good practices on the personal and societal levels including nutrition, hygiene and recycling.
- Reach a brighter future for our country by safeguarding the future generation.
A public and a semi-public school have been identified in Greater Beirut that cater for more than 500 students. The breakfast meals are delivered in sealed bags to the school administration daily before 9am. Students eat breakfast in their classrooms during the first break.
- MEHE approved–approval number SN18807/3
- Madam Neameh public school: 260 students project started
- Project being piloted in Bahjat Al Atfal, a semi-public school: 225 students
- Well-balanced meal with content and schedule prepared by a certified nutritionist.
- Best-practice model of Breakfast in the Classroom–shown to ensure 88% participation.
- Cost share concept, participatory approach for food distribution by the students, distribution of hygiene material and collecting of recyclables.
- Food prepared and delivered by a dedicated catering company that is ISO-certified and that follows highest standards in food preparation and handling.
The first graph shows the results of the survey of students and the second graph that of the faculty.
The results of the "School Breakfast Project” proved beyond doubt the importance of providing free meals to kindergarten and primary school students. The project led not only to improved concentration and behavior, but also to a drop in the rate of absenteeism from school. The project highlights the feasibility of adopting the best practice model of "Breakfast in the Classroom” in public schools. The participatory approach adopted by Tawazon, which involved the students in the implementation of the project activities, instilled in the students a sense of responsibility, cooperation, and familiarity amongst each other, with resultant reduction in the incidence of bullying.
SDG 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition
2.1 By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round.
2.2 By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons
SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
4.1 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes
4.2 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education
SDG 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
13.3 Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levelsThrough this project
16.6 Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels
16.7 Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels
SDG 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships