New resource from Mary’s Meals puts world hunger on menu this term

School feeding charity offers free activity packs to educate and inspire pupils 

Pupils at secondary schools in Wales can learn about the lives of children around the world, thanks to a new educational resource from Mary’s Meals. 

Little Acts Make A Big Difference is a free downloadable activity pack which highlights the charity’s work to serve nutritious daily meals to hungry children in 20 of the world’s poorest countries, such as Ethiopia, South Sudan and Yemen. 

The resource supports curriculum objectives and is full of engaging cross-curricular activities – displaying different cultures, the challenges faced by young people in the world’s poorest countries, and how pupils can change the lives of those living thousands of miles away. 

Morven Macgillivray, supporter engagement manager at Mary’s Meals, says: “Developed in partnership with teachers to support curriculum objectives, our free resources offer pupils a glimpse of what life is like in some of the world’s poorest countries.” 

Teachers can choose from six sessions, which include activities based on the powerful films Child 31 and Generation Hope. Pupils are asked to put their own experience of school meals in context and consider how cost and access to food locally impacts on younger people around the world. 

Mary’s Meals feeds 2,279,941 children every school day, allowing them to gain an education that can, in the future be their ladder out of poverty. Due to the charity’s low-cost approach, it costs just £15.90 to feed a child for a whole school year. 

Today, more than 64 million primary school-age children around the world miss school due to poverty – while millions more attend school so hungry that they’re unable to concentrate and learn. 

In the places where Mary’s Meals is served, school enrolment and attendance increase and far fewer children leaving school early because of hunger.  

Other resources from Mary’s Meals 

Little Acts Make A Big Difference is part of a range of children’s resources provided by Mary’s Meals. It is designed for use in secondary schools.  

In the Superheroes resource, Upile and her friends from Malawi show pupils how the daily mug of vitamin-enriched porridge they receive from Mary’s Meals gives them energy to learn and superhero powers. This resource is designed for use in primary schools.  

Aimed at pupils in upper primary school, Amazing Grace explores how a daily meal at school is transforming the lives of children like Grace from Malawi, giving her the chance to learn and grow. 

The charity can also arrange for a volunteer to visit schools and share the Mary’s Meals story. To arrange a talk for your pupils, please call 0800 698 1212 or email info@marymeals.org 

The school resources are available to download from marysmeals.org.uk/get-involved/childrens-resources.