Lack of food security and lack of adequate nutrition are still prevalent in Nepal. As recently as 2022, 52 percent of children were living in severe or moderate food poverty. This represents an improvement from 64 percent in 2015, yet half of all children in Nepal still do not get enough nutritious food to eat and there is still much work to be done.

Clearly, children who aren’t adequately nourished cannot do their best in school. They’re more likely than well-fed children to be held back or drop out entirely before even advancing to, much less finishing, secondary school. Moreover, if their families don’t have money to buy enough food to supplement whatever they are able to grow themselves – which is highly probable – then even pre-adolescent children may be expected to leave school to earn wages.

For more than three decades, Educate the Children-Nepal has been working to alleviate food insecurity, improve nutrition, and ensure educational access and better outcomes for countless thousands of children and families in Nepal. They help women farmers grow more nutritious food for their families’ consumption and to sell for higher household incomes. This means both that their families eat better and that their children are less likely to leave school at an early age, either because of poor performance or in order to work for pay and help support their families financially. Everyone wins!

Visit Educate the Children’s YouTube channel to view short videos about ETC’s children’s education and related work in rural Nepal.

On World Food Day and every day, it is important to highlight the vital links between food and children’s education. Let’s all work to ensure that children can eat well and thrive, throughout their school years and throughout their lives!