A MEAL FOR SUCCESS AT THE AGAM-CIVOL SCHOOL

In Senegal, young people under the age of 25 represent 601% of the population. The school enrollment rate remains stable at 881% nationwide. However, the biggest problem lies in the number of children completing their schooling. In 2017, the annual performance report for the education sector estimated that only 61.81% of students completed their first cycle of schooling.

Several factors, including food insecurity, are at the root of this problem. Indeed, according to the food security assessment in emergency situations conducted in February 2018 in northern Senegal, food insecurity reached levels 38% in Podor, 35% in Ranérou, 27% in Matam, and 23% in Linguère and Kanel. The report also highlights that 345,000 people were experiencing a phase 3 crisis in the departments of Podor, Matam, Ranérou, Kanel, Tambacounda, and Goudiry, and that these rates were expected to double.

Each year, the Investir Pour l'Avenir et le Développement (Invest for the Future and Development) association undertakes an exploratory trip to meet with local organizations and discuss health and education needs. At the Agnam-Civol school, which serves nearly 350 children, teachers have noticed that some students experience periods of inattention during the day. It turns out that, in many cases, the lack of a proper lunch is the cause.
The project aims to build a kitchen, a dining hall, and toilets to address this need and combat malnutrition among disadvantaged children. Investing in food and education helps break the cycle of poverty.