In Sierra Leone, free school lunches encourage 39,000 children to get an education. 

Too Hungry to Learn
The tiny, diamond-rich nation of Sierra Leone is now among the poorest and least educated countries in the world. An estimated 57 per cent of boys and 61 per cent of girls do not go to school. 

Many children stay home from school simply because their stomachs are empty. Hunger impedes a child's ability to learn and achieve and severe malnutrition can result in mental and physical stunting. 

School Feeding Program
Three years ago, World Vision partnered with the World Food Programme (WFP) to establish school feeding programs in Sierra Leone and later in Liberia. 

When a meal is provided at school, enrollments double within a year and produce a 40 per cent improvement in academic performance in two years time. 

The program has reached over 39,000 war-affected children at 121 schools in Kono, the district that encompasses Futingaya. Some schools have seen a 75 per cent increase.

Hope for the Future
The school feeding program meets children's short- and long-term needs. A child who is healthy, well nourished, and free from the effects of hunger is a child who's going to learn, develop, and thrive over time.

Research also shows that basic education is the most effective investment to improve economies and create literate, self-reliant, healthy societies.