Providing life-changing school meals for children in Darfur
Umsalama Ibrah is a humanitarian worker with the World Food Programme. She shares her story in celebration of World Humanitarian Day 2017.
‘Working with my community and helping others has been my dream since I was young’, says Umsalama Ibrahi, who joined the World Food Programme (WFP) in 2012 in El Geneina, West Darfur. Working with WFP has strengthened Umsalama’s knowledge and experience in the field where she, like other WFP humanitarian workers in El Geneina work in challenging circumstances to ensure that food assistance reaches people in need, aiming to achieve zero hunger.
As Food Aid Monitor and School Feeding Programme focal point, Umsalama enjoys working on the school meals programme. For her, it is important to see children receiving meals which help their everyday life at school and outside. Studies by WFP have shown that school feeding improves access to education, reduces poverty, results in increased school enrolment, as well as improving gender equality and learning.
At Al Ferdous School, some 3 kilometres from El Geneina town, 802 children have been receiving WFP school meals since 2012. An expansion in 2017 aims to include a further 597 children in the programme.
Starting their day with a healthy breakfast is the best way to fuel up for a successful day of learning at school, says Umsalama. Children can concentrate better if they are not hungry.
Twelve-year-old Mahasen Abdalla who received school meals in Kereinik IDP school talks of her experience: ‘It takes me two hours to walk to my school, and I always eat the school meals. After school, I take leftovers with me to share with my younger sister at home, as our parents are busy farming. The meals mean I can concentrate on school.’
Umsalama continues: ‘I am proud to say that I am part of a program that offers a meal that is life-changing for a child. Umsalama looks forward to continuing to work with communities in West Darfur, and wherever her humanitarian calling takes her.’
