The Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) says nearly Rwf 1 billion has been mobilised over the past two years to support Rwanda’s national school feeding programme under the “Dusangire Lunch” campaign.
The initiative was launched in 2024 to complement government efforts in sustaining the programme, which was introduced in 2019 to ensure learners receive a nutritious midday meal at school.
According to MINEDUC, the campaign has raised about Rwf 976.4 million to date. Of this, approximately Rwf 205 million has already been spent, while more than Rwf 658 million remains available to support ongoing activities.
The government says the school feeding programme currently benefits over 4.5 million learners nationwide, contributing to improved attendance, concentration in class and reduced dropout rates linked to hunger.
The Ministry expressed appreciation to all contributors, noting that the initiative plays a key role in supporting children’s health, learning outcomes and school retention.
Financial institutions contributed about Rwf 377 million, including Rwf 300 million from Bank of Kigali and Rwf 77 million from institutions such as Umwalimu SACCO, BRD and Copedu Ltd.
Rwandans in the diaspora contributed more than Rwf 153 million from countries including Senegal, Ethiopia, Israel, the Republic of Congo, Angola, Malawi, Tanzania, China and Japan, among others.
Development partners and NGOs, including Metro World Child and UNESCO, contributed over Rwf 87.3 million, while individual contributions amounted to about Rwf 92.2 million. Other companies such as MTN Rwanda, Irembo and UDL contributed nearly Rwf 91.9 million.
Government investment in the programme has also increased over time, rising from about Rwf 27 million in the 2020/2021 academic year to Rwf 90 million in 2023/2024, when the campaign was launched.
Since its introduction in 2019, the programme has expanded significantly, with the number of learners benefiting from school meals increasing from about 600,000 to around 4.5 million today.
