The program seeks to ensure that all children have access to nutritious meals, enabling them to focus on their studies and improve their academic performance.
Although the Rwandan government covers 90% of the school feeding costs, some families struggle to contribute the required Frw1,000 per trimester.
To address this gap, the #DusangireLunch campaign encourages individuals and communities, both within Rwanda and abroad, to support the initiative. A donation of Frw1,000 can provide meals for one child for a term, while Frw3,000 covers a full year.
Motivated by the campaign, RCA-China, mainly composed of students, organized a fundraising drive in August 2024 with the aim of supporting at least 1,000 children. In just one month, they raised funds to cover meals for 2,276 children.
Claudien Habimana Simbi, President of RCA-China, praised the generosity of the Rwandan community in China, stating, 'We are committed to supporting our country's development programs. No contribution is too small; your donation can change the life of one child and have a lasting impact on Rwanda's sustainable development. Let us continue to be an example of boundless cooperation.'
The #DusangireLunch campaign emphasizes that everyone, regardless of their location, can help ensure no child in Rwanda goes without a meal at school due to financial hardship.
The campaign has also received support from the Rwandan community in Turkey, which contributed over Frw1 million.
#DusangireLunch campaign was launched in June 2024 by the Ministry of Education in partnership with Mobile Money Rwanda and Umwalimu SACCO.
Other contributors to the campaign include Mobile Money Rwanda, which pledged to support 10,000 students over one year with Frw30 million, and Umwalimu SACCO, which committed to providing lunch for 8,500 children over two years, worth Frw51 million.
As at September 11, the Ministry of Education had collected Frw143 million through the campaign.
Since its nationwide expansion in 2021, the school feeding program has contributed to a 4% decrease in primary school dropout rates by June 2024.
IGIHE
