Children's welfare
School meals
A hot lunch that brings children to class and helps them learn.
Illustrative photo: bill wegener / Unsplash
Objective for the 2026 funding round
Serve a hot, nutritious lunch every school day to 3,000 children, so hunger no longer keeps them out of class or stops them learning.
Who it reaches: Primary schools in food-insecure areas where many children arrive having eaten nothing.
Target$73,551
Funding for this cause closes in
From $75: a term of school lunches for one child.
The need
Many children walk to school without breakfast and cannot concentrate by mid-morning. A daily meal is often the single biggest reason a poor family keeps a child in school, and the only balanced meal that child gets.
Why give to this cause
- A child cannot learn on an empty stomach; for many pupils, the school lunch is the main meal of the day.
- A school meal costs very little per child, so a small gift feeds a pupil for a whole term.
- Meals are cooked by parent volunteers and recorded daily, so you can see exactly how many were served.
What your gift does
- $75a term of school lunches for one child
- $225a full school year of lunches for one child
- $1,200a school kitchen's cooking stove and utensils
Where your donation goes
The planned budget for this cause. Every quarter, the field report shows what was actually spent against each line.
- FoodMaize, beans, vegetables and fortified flour, bought locally where possible.55%$124 of $225
- Cooks and kitchen running costsPaid cooks, fuel and water.18%$41 of $225
- Kitchens and fuel-efficient stovesSafe cooking spaces that use half the firewood.12%$27 of $225
- School gardensVegetables grown by pupils and parents to top up the meals.7%$16 of $225
- Monitoring and reportingMeal counts, attendance and growth checks each term.8%$18 of $225
How we do it
- 1
We partner with schools that have a parent committee willing to cook and manage stores.
- 2
Maize, beans and vegetables are bought from local farmers where possible.
- 3
Daily meal registers are kept by the school and checked on visits.
- 4
Schools add school gardens so part of the food is grown on site.
The impact your gift will have
- Children who might come to school hungry, or not at all, get a hot meal every school day and can concentrate in class.
- Attendance rises because the meal gives families another reason to send children to school.
- Buying food from local farmers puts money into the same community the school serves.
What we measure and report
Targets for the 2026 funding round. Results against each one are published in the quarterly field report sent to every donor to this cause.
| Measure | Target |
|---|---|
| Children fed daily | 3,000 |
| Meals served per term | 180,000 |
| Food bought from local farmers | 70% |
| Change in attendance vs. prior year | +10% |
Join in the cause today
Make an impactful change in Africa.
Donate to school mealsFund school meals
Your gift goes to this programme. You'll get an email receipt now and the field report every quarter.
Funding for this cause closes in
Choose an amount
- $75a term of school lunches for one child
- $225a full school year of lunches for one child
- $1,200a school kitchen's cooking stove and utensils
Gifts start at $50. Choose your own amount on the next page.
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Monthly support for one child's schooling, health and meals, with updates.
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DonateQuestions donors ask
Does my gift go to the cause I choose?
Yes. A gift to a named cause is recorded against that cause and spent on that programme. If a cause becomes fully funded, we use extra gifts for the next round of the same programme, and tell you in the report.
How will I know what my gift did?
You get an email receipt straight away, and a field report on your cause every quarter, with what was delivered, where, and the results measured against the targets listed on each cause page.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
In the United States, yes: GiveToAfrica is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 27-3982730) and your email receipt is valid for your tax return. In other countries, deductibility depends on local rules.
Which payment methods can I use?
Card or M-Pesa through Paystack (charged in US dollars), or cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT and more than 100 other coins) through NOWPayments. With crypto you can choose your gift amount in US dollars, pounds, euros, Australian or Canadian dollars and pay the equivalent in the coin of your choice. No crypto wallet? You can buy Bitcoin in PayPal or Cash App (PayPal also offers Ethereum and other coins) and send it straight from the app.
Can my company match my gift?
Many employers match their staff's donations. Add your employer's name when you give and we will send the paperwork. Companies can also give directly or sponsor a whole project on our company giving page.