By Willie Bestman
TUBMANBURG, Bomi County — Mary’s Meals Liberia on Wednesday celebrated 20 years of school feeding in the country, highlighting a program that now provides daily meals to more than 95,000 children in over 600 schools and learning centers nationwide.
The anniversary, marked by a parade through Tubmanburg and a commemorative program at the Forestry Training Institute, brought together students, volunteers, community leaders, development partners and government officials to reflect on two decades of support for education and child welfare.
Since launching its school feeding program in Liberia in 2006, Mary’s Meals has used daily meals as an incentive to improve school attendance, participation and learning outcomes, particularly in underserved communities.
Speaking at the event, Mary’s Meals International Director of Partnerships, Alex Keay, said the organization feeds more than three million children every school day across 16 countries.
Keay noted that while Mary’s Meals began school feeding operations in Liberia in 2006, the organization had been supporting communities in the country since the 1990s.
He said meals for more than 95,000 Liberian children are prepared and served by local volunteers, whom he credited for sustaining the program.
School Feeding and National Development
Delivering the keynote address, Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Education, Nyekpeh Y. Forkpah, described school feeding as a critical investment in Liberia’s future.
He said access to nutritious meals helps children concentrate in class, strengthens participation in learning and contributes to broader social and economic development.
Forkpah praised Mary’s Meals for expanding educational opportunities for thousands of children and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to initiatives that improve child welfare and access to education.
He also called for stronger coordination among government institutions, communities, schools and development partners to ensure the sustainability of school feeding programs across the country.
Addressing students, the deputy minister encouraged them to take their studies seriously and use educational opportunities to contribute to Liberia’s development.
‘The Work Is Not Yet Completed’
Mary’s Meals Liberia Country Director, Paula Nawrocki, said the organization’s 20-year milestone reflected the dedication of volunteers, partner schools, communities and supporters.
She thanked volunteers for their long-standing service but stressed that significant challenges remain.
“Together, we can continue to support community-led generational change in Liberia,” Nawrocki said.
According to Nawrocki, the program was launched as Liberia emerged from years of civil conflict, with the belief that providing meals in schools could help increase enrollment, strengthen communities and create brighter prospects for children.
Despite progress over the past two decades, she said continued investment and partnership will be needed to expand access to school meals across the country.
Volunteers and Schools Recognized
As part of the celebrations, Mary’s Meals honored volunteers and schools for their commitment to the program.
Among those recognized were Hawa Varney of Sackie Town Public School, Jessica David of Gbah Public School, Janet Kollie of St. Mark Lutheran School, Alice Togbah of Free Pentecostal Mission Foundation School, Mary Moore of Gbarma Central Elementary School, Agnes S. Ben of Sinje Central Mission School, Dorris Togobah of Assembly of God Mission School, Babie Youne of VOA 1 Academy and Sekou Essau of Billy Town Public School.
Schools recognized for their partnership included Omega Orphanage, Bola Public School, Jerome F. Clark Public School and Musu Valentine Mission School.
The celebration concluded with renewed calls for collaboration among government, communities, schools, volunteers and development partners to strengthen school feeding programs and expand educational opportunities for children across Liberia
