From Hunger to Hope: The Impact of School Meals on Namjo's Future

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    A smiling Najmo in class.

 

 Najmo Farah Abdi, a 7th-grade student at Haraf School in Somaliland, lives in Haraf Village just outside Hargeisa. She comes from a family of nine children. Her parents, former farmers, lost their income after a prolonged drought, making it difficult to support the family.

Najmo walks an hour to school every morning. She usually eats a light breakfast at home—an omelet and tea—but often arrives at school hungry. “Sometimes I feel hungry before school even starts,” she says. Hunger made it hard for her to concentrate in class, and by the time she returned home and went to Quranic madrassa, she was too tired to focus.

Her health began to suffer. After collapsing one day, Najmo was taken to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with malnutrition. “It was heartbreaking. We couldn’t afford better food,” says her mother.

Things changed when the Home-Grown School Feeding Program (HGSFP) was introduced at Haraf School. Funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland and implemented by CARE, the program provides students with daily breakfast and lunch. Now, Najmo eats a nutritious porridge at 10 AM and her favorite meal—meat stew—every Thursday. “After eating, I feel strong and ready to learn,” she says.

 Najmo having one of her favorite school meals for lunch at school. 

 The school meals have significantly improved her ability to focus and participate in class. “Now I enjoy learning and don’t feel the same stress from hunger,” she shares.. The School Head Teacher affirms a strong link between students’ improved performance and the nutritious meals now provided at Haraf School. “Students are more focused and performing better in class and exams, thanks to the Home-Grown School Feeding Program,” says Abdirahman Adan.

Najmo now dreams of becoming a doctor so she can help others. “I know what it feels like to be unwell and hungry. I want to help people stay healthy.”

Haraf School currently supports 157 students—95 boys and 62 girls—under the HGSFP. They are among the 5,278 students benefiting from the program across targeted schools in Somaliland. The school meals are not only improving health but also helping children like Najmo stay in school, focus on their studies, and plan for a better future.

 

Story by Photo: Khadar Abdulahi Nur, © CARE 

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