In pictures: school meals around the world

September 2, 2015

A schoolboy eats a meal of akassa in Benin

In schools all over the world, students look forward to their lunchtime break. But in the world国产视频檚 most deprived areas, many children are unable to afford a meal during the day.

Having a daily meal at a place of learning has many positive outcomes. As well as simply reducing hunger and improving children国产视频檚 health, it increases school enrolment and attendance and improves students国产视频� ability to concentrate and learn.

It has also has an impact in the wider community. The food provided by the Scottish charity Mary国产视频檚 Meals is sourced locally, supporting smallholder farmers and increasing support for education. The impact has been so great that the programme has increased government recognition of school feeding in many countries.

Since 2002, Mary国产视频檚 Meals has been providing 国产视频渃hronically hungry children国产视频� with one meal every school day. In its first year it fed 200 children but now supplies meals to more than one million of the world国产视频檚 poorest children.

Founder and CEO Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow said: 国产视频淲e work in the world国产视频檚 poorest communities, where so often the poorest children can国产视频檛 go to school because they国产视频檙e working, because they国产视频檙e begging on street corners 国产视频� just doing whatever it takes to put the next meal on the table.

国产视频淭herefore they miss out on their education, which is the key to lifting the world国产视频檚 poorest communities out of poverty.

国产视频淚t国产视频檚 amazing just to see the impact one meal has and the people who are at the forefront of that are the people who make huge sacrifices to get up early, at first light, to make the fires, cook the porridge, serve the food. In Malawi alone there are 65,000 volunteers who are taking part in this work.国产视频�

The charity operates in 12 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. The biggest feeding programme is in Malawi where it reaches 25% of all primary schools.

So what does school lunch look like around the world?

FOOD PROVIDED BY MARY国产视频橲 MEALS

Malawi 国产视频� likuni phlala (fortified maize porridge)

This stiff porridge, made from maize flour and water is the staple food of Malawi. Malawians depend on maize so much that they have a saying, 国产视频渃himanga ndi moyo国产视频� 国产视频� maize is life.

Benin 国产视频� akassa (corn paste) with vegetables

In the country known for its exotic cuisine across Africa, children eat boiled and mashed corn with fresh cooked vegetables.

India 国产视频� lentil dhal with rice

Lentil dahl is packed full of protein and fibre. Students in India eat the soupy dish served with rice.

Myanmar 国产视频� eggs and vegetables with noodles

The food in the country formally known as Burma has been influenced by Indian, Chinese and Thai cooking and the typical school lunch of noodles fried with eggs and vegetables reflects this.

South Sudan 国产视频� sorghum and beans

Although not widely heard of in the West, sorghum is the fifth most popular cereal grain in the world. In South Sudan, the grain, which looks like large couscous, is served with beans for lunch.

Haiti 国产视频� rice and beans with fish sauce

In the Caribbean it is said that 国产视频渁 meal is not a meal without rice and beans国产视频�. For lunch in Haiti it is served up with a pungent fish sauce.