We partner with local schools to provide healthy, home cooked meals from locally sourced ingredients during the months of February through May — the hunger season.

The results are impressive: we saw a 1-2 pound weight gain in our students, the annual exam pass rates have seen an 5% overall increase, and a 10%+ increase year-over-year in lower-income villages.

Nutrition education comes in a couple different forms: healthy menu construction and safe food handling.

Prior to the canteen program, we conduct extensive training for all partners about each of these topics.

When there’s no money available, farmers won’t produce. We change that dynamic by working with 153 local farmers in 2026 to increase production during the lean season. We also partner with local agriculture experts to provide outreach on improved techniques.