Double The Love campaign – The NEN

The cost of feeding the world’s poorest children has soared by 20%

Mary’s Meals feeds 2,429,182 hungry children every school day

Mary’s Meals has warned that the cost of feeding children in the world’s poorest countries has risen by an unprecedented 20% – and that it faces significant challenges in delivering its international school feeding programme in 2023.

The charity, which was founded in a shed in Argyll, serves nutritious school meals in 18 countries, including Malawi, Yemen and Haiti. The promise of food attracts hungry children into the classroom, where they can gain an education that can be their ladder out of poverty.

Increases in prices for commodities – such as grain, fuel and fertiliser – mean the cost to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for a school year has increased from £15.90 to £19.15. This is the largest increase in the charity’s 20-year history.

Daniel Adams, executive director of Mary’s Meals, says: “An uncertain year lies ahead, with the escalating cost of living causing much pain for both the children around the world who eat our school meals and those here in Scotland who make our work possible.

“Simply put, our income is not growing at the same rate as the cost of feeding children.”

Mary’s Meals feeds 2,429,182 children every school day. Alongside the cost of living crisis, many of the countries where the charity works are impacted by conflict, climate change and the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic which are increasing levels of hunger and poverty.

Daniel adds: “There has never been a better – or more urgent – time to support our work. Until 31 January 2023, donations to Mary’s Meals will be matched by a group of generous supporters, up to £1.5 million. This means that any donation, no matter the size, will have twice the impact and help even more desperately hungry children.

“The relentless kindness and generosity of people here in Scotland have helped us to grow from feeding just 200 children in Malawi in 2002 to more than 2.4 million children around the world today. It is because of these people that we approach the many challenges we face in 2023 with a deep sense of hope.”

Until 31 January 2023, donations to Mary’s Meals are being doubled by a generous group of supporters – up to £1.5 million. To find out more about the Double The Love campaign, visit marysmeals.org.uk  

Join Scotland’s national chef for a virtual Christmas dinner

Gary Maclean is supporting the Mary’s Meals Big Family Christmas fundraiser

Gary Maclean is inviting Scots to join Mary’s Meals supporters from around the world for a virtual Christmas dinner.

The National Chef of Scotland supports Big Family Christmas, a unique fundraiser that will feed children living in the world’s poorest countries with Mary’s Meals.

He says: “As Scotland’s national chef, it goes without saying that I love a Christmas get-together with my family and good food. This year, we’ll be tucking into a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings. And of course, I’ll be cooking!

“It may well be a bus man’s holiday – but I know how lucky I am. That’s why I always take part in Mary’s Meals’ Big Family Christmas fundraiser.”

Mary’s Meals serves school meals to more than 2.2 million hungry children in some of the world’s poorest countries, including Kenya, Haiti and Yemen. The promise of food attracts them into the classroom where they can gain an education and hope for the future.

For just £15.90, enough to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for a whole school year, people can join the Big Family Christmas. They will receive a certificate to print at home and their name, or the name of a loved one, will appear on the charity’s virtual dinner table – alongside the names of thousands of supporters from across the world.

More than 46,000 people from around the world have taken part in Big Family Christmas since it launched in 2015.

Gary continues: “Setting a place at Mary’s Meals’ virtual dinner table has become a Christmas tradition for me, my family and many thousands of Mary’s Meals supporters around the world.

“Together, we are bringing hope to millions of little ones with the promise of a daily school meal. My Christmas wish is that people across Scotland will join me by setting their own place this festive season.”

Donations made to Mary’s Meals before 31 January 2023 will be matched by a group of generous supporters, up to £1.5 million, thanks to the Double The Love campaign, meaning that each place set at the online Christmas table will feed two hungry children.

To find out more, visit marysmeals.org.uk

Mary’s Meals campaign Doubles The Love this winter

Donations to school feeding charity Mary’s Meals this winter will be doubled by a group of generous supporters, up to £1.5 million – meaning the public’s kindness will go even further to reach more desperately hungry children with life-changing school meals.

Mary’s Meals has launched its Double The Love campaign, which will run until 31 January 2023. Thanks to the charity’s low-cost approach, just £15.90 can normally feed a child with Mary’s Meals every school day for a year, but during this time a donation of £15.90 will feed two children.

Mary’s Meals serves nutritious school meals in 20 of the world’s poorest countries and its work has never been more important. Conflict, food insecurity and the cost of living crisis is having a devastating impact – in East Africa a fourth season of failed rains is causing one of the worst droughts in decades, leaving millions of people on the brink of famine.

The promise of a meal at school attracts hungry children into the classroom where, instead of working or looking for food, they can gain an education and hope for a better future.

The charity currently feeds 2,279,941 children every school day.

For children like Ulemu in Malawi, a daily meal at school has been life changing.

Ulemu is one of Chigodi Primary School’s newest students, but the 15-year-old should be well into his secondary school career.

The teenager missed much of his early education because of hunger. With little food at home and no school feeding programme at his previous school, his attendance and performance suffered. Now he receives Mary’s Meals at his new school.

Ulemu says: “If we had porridge at my old school, I could have been in secondary school right now. I would frequently miss classes because there was no food at home. Even if I could go to school, I could not concentrate because I was hungry.

“I concentrate in class and play with my friends because the porridge keeps me from feeling hungry throughout the day. My academic performance has improved since I joined Chigodi.”

Mary’s Meals has been serving children in Malawi with a nutritious school meal for 20 years. Chigodi is one of 1,044 schools in the African country where the charity delivers its school feeding programme. A daily meal at school is helping children like Ulemu – who dreams of becoming a doctor – gain an education and reach their goals.

Daniel Adams, executive director of Mary’s Meals, says: “In a world devastated by conflict, food insecurity and drought, bringing new hope to desperately hungry children with our life-changing school meals has never been more urgent.

“That’s why our Double The Love campaign is so important. This winter donations will go twice as far, allowing us to reach even more children in countries including South Sudan, Yemen and Haiti. Just £15.90 will feed two children for a whole school year – fuelling their learning and hopes for the future.

“We are deeply thankful to everyone who is helping us keep our promise to the more than 2.2 million children who rely on our meals, while allowing us to reach the next hungry child waiting for Mary’s Meals.”

The Double The Love campaign runs until 31 January 2023.

Please visit marysmeals.org.uk/doublethelove to find out more.

Mary’s Meals: Mum’s the word for Christmas dinner in Scotland

School feeding charity Mary’s Meals asked 2,000 people across the UK who they would most like to cook Christmas dinner for them.
Almost half chose a family member over a celebrity chef, with the majority choosing their mum.
In the Scotland dads got the thumbs down in the festive kitchen!
Mary’s Meals is asking people to help feed hungry children by joining its virtual Christmas dinner.

A new survey by Mary’s Meals has revealed that people would rather have their Christmas dinner cooked by their mum than a celebrity chef.

The global school feeding charity asked 2,000 people who they would prefer to serve up their festive feast. It found that:

Almost half (46%) of respondents chose a family member rather than a famous chef – such as Jamie Oliver, Delia Smith, Gordon Ramsay and Nigella Lawson.
One in three people (36%) said they would prefer their mum to cook their Christmas dinner over other family members.
Just 1% of respondents in Scotland said they would like their dad to prepare the Christmas dinner!

Scotland’s National Chef Gary Maclean responds: “Despite being a professional chef myself, I’m not surprised most people chose their mum to make their Christmas dinner. Us chefs are all well and good but nothing beats a home-cooked festive feast.”

“I love the idea of Mary’s Meals Big Family Christmas – and I’m going to set a place for my late father-in-law Davie, who would love that their virtual seat at the table will feed a hungry child in school for an entire year.”

Mary’s Meals serves more than two million children with a nutritious meal every school day in 19 of the world’s poorest countries, including Malawi, South Sudan and Haiti. The promise of a good meal attracts children to the classroom, giving them the energy and opportunity to learn, and the chance of a brighter future.

Each December the charity holds a virtual Christmas dinner, Big Family Christmas, to raise funds to feed even more hungry children. Last year, nearly 9,000 people around the world took part in the fundraiser.

Emma Hutton, head of grassroots engagement at Mary’s Meals, says: “Tis the season to be jolly, and it seems nothing makes us jollier than a home-cooked Christmas meal. At Mary’s Meals, we want to spread that joy to as many of the world’s most impoverished children as possible.

“Setting a place at our virtual table is a great way to give a truly life-changing gift, especially as each place set this Christmas will feed two children for an entire year thanks to our Double The Love campaign. I look forward to seeing as many names at the table as possible as we celebrate our Big Family Christmas!”

In return for a donation of just £15.90, enough to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for a whole school year, people can take part in the Big Family Christmas. Donors will receive a certificate to print at home and their name, or the name of a loved one, will appear on the charity’s virtual dinner table alongside names from across the world.

Donations made to Mary’s Meals before 31 January 2022 will be matched by a group of generous supporters, up to £1.6 million, thanks to the Double The Love campaign, meaning that each place set at the online Christmas table will feed two hungry children.

To find out more, please visit marysmeals.org.uk/Christmas

Reaching children in Malawi

Mary’s Meals typically serves a mug of porridge to more than one million children in Malawi every school day.

This includes children like 14-year-old Yasimini, who is one of five girls. Her two older sisters were married young, but Yasimini was able to continue with her studies because of Mary’s Meals.

She says: “I work very hard in class so I can fulfill my dream of becoming a nurse. I don’t want to end up getting married early like my sisters.

“Mary’s Meals is very important because when I am attending classes I am strong and attentive and I can pay attention to what the teacher is teaching. This will help me to do well in my studies.”

Sister Act: Sophie and Emma Double The Love

Sisters Sophie and Emma Thompson are backing a new campaign, Double The Love, which will help Mary’s Meals to feed even more hungry children living in some of the world’s poorest countries.

Donations made to the charity this winter will be doubled by a group of generous supporters – with up to £1.6 million available to provide nutritious meals at school, attracting children into the classroom and giving them the energy to learn.

Long-time Mary’s Meals supporter, actor Sophie Thompson, celebrated the launch of the campaign with her sister and fellow actor, Emma Thompson.

Sophie says: “Emma and I were marvelling about how Mary’s Meals provides food at school for children living in the most desperate circumstances, encouraging them to gain an education that will, in the future, help them out of poverty.

“We are delighted to announce that donations made to this awesome charity this winter will be doubled – meaning even more little ones will receive a daily serving of Mary’s Meals.”

Mary’s Meals was founded in a shed in Argyll in 2002 and has grown from feeding 200 children in Malawi to more than two million children every school day in 19 countries around the world.

Emma adds: “Our mother is Scottish, and Argyll is a very special place for our family. I am overjoyed that a charity founded there is changing the lives of children in some of the world’s poorest countries. It truly is an incredible achievement.

“Double The Love presents a wonderful opportunity for us all to get behind Mary’s Meals and show children living in the world’s poorest countries that we care.”

Daniel Adams, executive director of Mary’s Meals, says: “I am so grateful to Sophie and Emma for backing our Double The Love campaign. What a brilliant sister act they are!

“I hope people will donate to Mary’s Meals this winter so that we can access all of the £1.6 million of match funding that is available to us. These funds really will change the lives of children facing the most difficult circumstances, including natural disasters, conflict, and the ongoing Covid pandemic.”

The Double The Love campaign runs until 31 January 2022.

Please visit marysmeals.org.uk/doublethelove to find out more.

Sibongile and Sarah – sisters living in Zambia

Sibongile, 13, and Sarah,10, live in a farming village in Zambia, almost 8,000 miles away from Sophie and Emma’s homes in London.

These sisters look very alike – but Sibongile is outgoing and laughs a lot, and her younger sister is very quietly spoken.

They face many struggles, such as a two-hour walk to school. Sibongile only has black pumps that are too big for her and Sarah wears rubber sandals. In November the area usually floods, making the journey even more difficult.

But both walk to school knowing that they can soon fill their stomachs with a nutritious serving of Mary’s Meals, which will help them to concentrate on their lessons.

Sibongile says: “I eat my porridge at 11am. If there’s no leftover food from the night before that will be the first time I eat.”