On World Food Day, we are reminded of the powerful role food security plays in shaping brighter futures and fostering sustainable, long-term resilience for children and their communities. Through innovative programs leveraging school feeding, sustainable agriculture, home gardening, and more, World Vision is equipping individuals and transforming entire communities. Today, we share three stories that illustrate the profound impact of our multi-sectoral approach to food security, from Rwandan schools to rural farms in Ethiopia.
Home Grown School Feeding in Rwanda – Nourishing Bodies, Nurturing Minds
In Rwanda, World Vision’s Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) program, in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) and the USDA McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, provides nutritious, locally-sourced meals to schoolchildren, ensuring they are both well-fed and ready to learn. This initiative recognizes the critical link between nutrition and education—children who are well-nourished are more likely to stay in school and perform better academically. The school feeding program not only improves students’ health but also strengthens local food systems by sourcing ingredients from local farmers, fostering a sustainable, community-based solution to hunger.
But HGSF goes beyond providing meals; it integrates literacy initiatives, such as the Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) time, where students dedicate time each week to read, improving their literacy skills. This program has been so successful that the Rwanda Basic Education Board adopted it into the national curriculum for lower-grade students. DEAR time creates an environment where students can develop a love for reading while receiving the nutrition they need to thrive in the classroom.
The impact of the HGSF program is further enhanced by World Vision’s Unlock Literacy model, which pairs high-performing students with struggling readers as “reading buddies.” This peer-to-peer support system has proven to be an effective way to improve reading outcomes for low-performing students, building confidence and competence in both academic and social settings. Teachers are also a crucial part of this equation, and World Vision has integrated teacher coaching and professional development into the program to ensure quality instruction.
Recognizing that nutrition is key to school attendance and performance, especially for adolescent girls, World Vision’s school feeding program also addresses menstrual hygiene management (MHM). By constructing MHM rooms in schools and training staff known as “School Aunties” to support girls, the program helps reduce absenteeism linked to menstruation, allowing girls to stay in school and achieve their full potential.
Fatuma’s Story – Harvesting Hope in Ethiopia
Fatuma Mohammed, a mother of five in rural Ethiopia, struggled to feed her family after her husband left. For years, she juggled farming her small plot of land and running a guest house, but her income wasn’t enough to meet her children’s needs. That changed when she joined the Strengthened Productive Safety Net Program Institutions and Resilience (SPIR) II program, supported by World Vision and a consortium of partners. This program provided her with training and resources, empowering her to adopt more productive agricultural practices.
One of the most impactful changes was the introduction of dwarf mango trees, a new crop in her area. While initially skeptical, Fatuma committed to learning about soil preparation, composting, and efficient watering techniques. Her dedication resulted in significant success—her trees produced four times more fruit than the traditional variety. This not only improved her family’s nutrition but also provided a steady income, helping her support her children and send them to school.
The impact of SPIR II extends beyond Fatuma’s success. The program has reached more than 600,000 of the most vulnerable people across three challenging regions in Ethiopia, providing food assistance, income support, and agricultural training. SPIR II’s holistic approach, which combines food security interventions with education and health support, has been instrumental in improving the livelihoods of vulnerable families like Fatuma’s. Fatuma’s farm, now diversified with papayas, avocados, and vegetables, is a testament to the transformative power of these interventions.
Thanks to SPIR II, Fatuma has become a respected community leader, inspiring others to adopt sustainable farming practices. Her story illustrates how World Vision’s multi-sectoral approach can break the cycle of poverty and food insecurity, creating long-term resilience for families in rural Ethiopia. With each harvest, Fatuma is not only securing her family’s future but also driving positive change in her community. Fatuma’s success is remarkable, and while outcomes can vary, each person’s unique land and resources offer their own opportunities for success.
Saeda’s Story – Cultivating Resilience Through Home Gardening
In the drought-prone village of Boke Woreda, Ethiopia, Saeda, a mother of six, struggled to provide for her family as their unproductive land yielded little to sustain them. That was until Saeda joined SPIR II program, where she received both a maternal grant and crucial training in home gardening and nutrition. The SPIR II program, which is funded by USAID, focuses on empowering vulnerable women like Saeda through sustainable farming practices and essential nutrition education.
With seeds and training provided by SPIR II, Saeda transformed her backyard into a thriving home garden. Her vegetables not only fed her family but also generated income when she sold the surplus at local markets. Her earnings from the garden allowed her to invest in livestock, further increasing her household’s economic stability. Saeda’s commitment to her garden, despite the daily challenge of walking long distances for water, demonstrates her resilience and determination to create a better future for her children.
SPIR II’s holistic approach extends beyond food production. Saeda participated in Nurturing Care Groups (NCGs), where she learned about the importance of balanced diets and proper child nutrition. These groups are central to SPIR II’s strategy to improve infant and young child feeding practices. Since the program’s launch, over 8,700 pregnant and lactating women like Saeda have benefited from home gardening, enriching their families’ diets and health through diverse vegetables.
Saeda’s success with her home garden and her newfound knowledge of nutrition underscore the power of SPIR II’s integrated support. By combining economic empowerment with health and nutrition education, SPIR II not only enhances food security but also strengthens the overall well-being of families in Ethiopia. Saeda’s journey illustrates how sustainable, community-driven solutions can create lasting change.
Through multi-sectoral approaches that address the interconnected challenges of hunger, education, and resilience, World Vision is helping vulnerable children and their families break free from the cycle of food insecurity and build brighter futures.
As we work in partnership with public sector donors like USAID, USDA, and WFP, our commitment to evidence-based solutions remains strong. By equipping communities with the tools and knowledge they need to sustain themselves, we are fostering long-term resilience that benefits not only individuals but entire regions.
Learn more about our innovative food security programs and how you can support our mission to create lasting, sustainable change for children and communities worldwide.
Home Grown School Feeding Project
World Vision partners with World Food Programme who leads the second five-year phase of the Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) program to provide a suite of complementary literacy; water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); and Citizen Voice and Action interventions to this school feeding project. The objectives of the program include improving literacy skills of school-aged children through engaging community members and parents, training and coaching teachers, providing learning materials, and facilitating student reading competitions; and improving health and dietary practices of students through social behavior change communication, hygiene education activities, and improved water systems and latrine/ handwashing facilities.
SPIR II Program
Strengthening PSNP Institutions and Resilience II (SPIR II) is dedicated to addressing food and nutrition insecurity in Ethiopia’s Amhara, Oromia, and Tigray regions. This five-year (2021-2026) program funded by USAID’s Bureau of Humanitarian Affairs as a Resilience Food Security Activity is led by World Vision in collaboration with partners CARE, IFPRI, and ORDA. The program forms a resilient ecosystem, uniting public, private, and community partners to uplift participants from poverty, ensuring lasting income and food security improvements.
