By: Getahun Tsegaye
Staff Writer
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – April 9, 2025 – A significant multi-million dollar initiative has been launched to revolutionize school meals for over 321,000 children in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. The landmark partnership unites the Danish government, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Grundfos Foundation, and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
Announced on Tuesday, April 8th, the $40 million collaboration, described as the largest of its kind with the WFP, will provide nutritious, locally sourced meals over the next three years. Beyond immediate hunger relief, the program aims to build resilient food systems, empower local farmers with climate-smart techniques, and promote environmental sustainability across the region.
WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain emphasized the transformative power of school meals, stating they are “so much more than just a plate of food – they are transformational programs that help vulnerable children to learn, communities to make a sustainable living, and economies to grow and prosper.” The initiative will reach 375 schools, establish 1,300 school gardens, and train 61,500 smallholder farmers. It also includes equipping schools with fuel-efficient cooking infrastructure and improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities, alongside capacity building for local governments.
Denmark’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, hailed the partnership as a prime example of effective collaboration between government, business, and civil society, highlighting its potential to enhance food security, build resilience, and create employment. The initiative builds on a successful pilot program in Rwanda and Uganda and now expands to include Kenya’s Turkana County.
Leaders from the Novo Nordisk and Grundfos Foundations underscored the potential of schools as catalysts for food system transformation and the importance of water solutions for climate-smart agriculture.
Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, emphasized the catalytic potential of schools for food systems transformation and improving child health and learning outcomes.
Grundfos Foundation’s Executive Director ,Kim Nøhr Skibsted emphasized the partnership’s potential for lasting, sustainable change, strengthening climate-smart water solutions and expanding water access for children, youth, and adults.
The initiative is aligned with the global School Meals Coalition, a network of more than 100 governments and over 140 partners working to ensure every child receives at least one nutritious meal at school by 2030, with WFP serving as the Secretariat.
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