39 million school meals funded by Manchester lottery players

People’s Postcode Lottery players in Greater Manchester have helped raise more than £7 million in the last decade for international school feeding charity Mary’s Meals. 

Funding more than 39 million meals in 16 countries to date.

Mary’s Meals, founded in the Scottish Highlands, serves daily meals to children in some of the world’s poorest communities, encouraging school attendance and supporting education as a route out of poverty.

Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “It’s fantastic to know that for a decade our players have supported the essential work of Mary’s Meals – and have now raised an incredible £7 million to help children across the globe access nutritious meals.

“This funding helps children in some of the most underserved communities go to school well-fed, ready to learn and full of hope for a brighter future.”

The partnership has supported 478,968 children with daily school meals, with funding initially focused on specific countries such as Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Zambia, Madagascar, Ethiopia and South Sudan.

It also strengthened Mary’s Meals through key organisational development projects.

In recent years, funding has been provided on an unrestricted basis, allowing Mary’s Meals to allocate resources where they are most needed.

Gemma Love, philanthropy and institutional partnerships manager at Mary’s Meals, said: “We are incredibly grateful to People’s Postcode Lottery players in Greater Manchester, whose ongoing support is helping us reach more children than ever before with a daily school meal that encourages learning, brings hope and changes lives.

“Seeing the difference this support makes for children and communities inspires us to keep going and to reach even more children in the years ahead.”

The school feeding programme addresses a range of challenges, including barriers to education and gender inequality.

Girls make up half of the children supported by Mary’s Meals, yet 119 million girls worldwide remain out of school.

For many children, the promise of a meal at school is life-changing.

Twelve-year-old Efigénia, who attends Tindzawene Primary School in Mozambique, said: “With school meals, I feel good because even with a lack of food at home, here at school I have a meal and I can study.”

Mary’s Meals marked a major milestone at the end of last year, now serving meals to more than three million children every school day.

For more information, visit: marysmeals.org.uk.