Liberia: Mary’s Meals Marks 20 Years of School Feeding in Liberia, Now Reaching 95,000 Children
Mary’s Meals Liberia marked two decades of school feeding on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, with a colorful parade through Tubmanburg and a ceremony at the Forestry Training Institute.
The event drew students, partners, supporters, volunteers and community members to celebrate 20 years of providing nutritious meals to children in need.
Mary’s Meals began its school feeding program in Liberia in 2006, though it had supported communities in the country since the 1990s. Mary’s Meals Liberia Country Director Paula Nawrocki said the program was established as Liberia was emerging from two devastating civil wars, when many children faced hardship and disrupted schooling.
Mary’s Meals International Director of Partnership Alex Keay described the organization as a global charitable movement serving meals to more than three million children every school day in 16 countries. In Liberia, it now feeds more than 95,000 children in over 600 places of education. Local volunteers prepare and serve the meals.
The program has helped improve school attendance, classroom participation and learning conditions, particularly in underserved communities.
Delivering the keynote address, Deputy Education Minister for Administration Nyekpeh Y. Forkpah called school feeding a foundation for learning and active classroom participation. He said it also advances social development, peace and national progress.
“Investing in school feeding is an investment in Liberia’s human capital,” Forkpah said, adding that the program gives children hope and the chance to pursue their dreams.
He thanked Mary’s Meals for its partnership and stressed that coordination among stakeholders is critical to the program’s success and sustainability. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting school feeding and efforts to improve children’s welfare and educational opportunities. He also urged students to study hard for a better Liberia.
Nawrocki credited the 20-year milestone to the collective efforts of partners, schools, communities, volunteers and students, and thanked volunteers for their sustained commitment.
She cautioned that the work is unfinished and called for greater effort as the organization expands and strengthens its programs nationwide. She said Mary’s Meals remains convinced that nutritious meals in places of learning can encourage children and transform communities.
“Together, we can continue to support community-led generational change in Liberia,” she said.
Mary’s Meals Liberia recognized long-serving volunteers and partner schools during the program.
The honored volunteers were Hawa Varney, Sackie Town Public School, Bomi; Jessica David, Gbah Public School, Bomi; Janet Kollie, St. Mark Lutheran School, Bong, and Alice Togbah, Free Pentecostal Mission Foundation, Bong
Other volunteer honorees include Mary Moore, Gbarma Central Elementary, Gbarpolu; Agnes S. Ben, Sinje Central Mission School, Grand Cape Mount; Dorris Togobah, Assembly of God Mission, Grand Cape Mount; Babie Youne, VOA 1 Academy, Montserrado, and Sekou Essau, Billy Town Public School, Montserrado.
Recognized schools were Omega Orphanage, Bola Public School, Jerome F. Clark Public School, Musu Valentine Mission School, Sinje Central Mission School, Assembly of God Mission School, Kpallah Public School and Jarflow Preparatory School.
Speaking for the honorees, Pastor Fayiah Bemah and Jessica David thanked Mary’s Meals Liberia. They said the recognition would motivate them to keep serving and improving the lives and educational opportunities of Liberian children.
The celebration closed with renewed calls for stronger partnerships among government, communities, schools, volunteers and development partners to sustain school feeding and improve educational outcomes.
