Mary’s Meals is set to expand after getting £200,000 from the People’s Postcode Lottery

Scottish based international aid charity Mary’s Meals has been awarded £200,000 from the People’s Postcode Lottery.

The charity plans to use the cash to increase the number of the world’s poorest children it feeds and gets back into education.

Currently it provides a nutritious daily meal to one million pupils in schools across 12 countries in the developing world. By doing so it attracts chronically hungry children into the classroom where they receive an education that can be their route out of poverty.

With 59 million children in the world still out of school and hungry, I believe this work has just begun

Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow

Chief executive and founder Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow said the charity aims to reach even more youngsters.

“We are hugely grateful to be receiving support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery,” MacFarlane-Barrow said.

“Mary’s Meals reached the milestone of feeding over one million children across 12 countries in spring this year, however, with 59 million children in the world still out of school and hungry, I believe this work has just begun.

“Our new relationship with players of People’s Postcode Lottery is one more step towards helping these poverty-stricken countries across the world.”

Zambia is just one such country where Mary’s Meals is making a big difference. Fifteen-year-old Daniel, is visually impaired and attends the Magwero School for the Blind in the Chipata district.

He said: “I was much thinner and weaker before I got Mary’s Meals at school. I used to go hungry but now I eat every day and I really appreciate the porridge.”

The charity has also been described as a godsend by David Chaw, headteacher at Chambawa Primary School, also in Chipata. The primary school serves children from two villages and 49 farms.

He said “If Mary’s Meals was not here many children would not eat as there is no food at home and children struggle with hunger.

“Since Mary’s Meals came to the school, 315 children have enrolled and more are progressing from grade 7 to grade 8 because they are stronger. School completion rates are normally low so this is good news.”

Clara Govier, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery added: “We are delighted that players of People’s Postcode Lottery are able to help fund Mary’s Meals with a £200,000 cheque.

“Mary’s Meals does such fantastic work in the countries that it operates and we can’t wait to see the impact of the funding on the charity.”