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We never left: how school feeding is transforming Angola’s future

Soba Adelino feeding his child at Viendi Primary School in Angola

Reaching villages like Viendi and Kalupuca is not easy. After driving 70 kilometres from Benguela, we leave the paved roads behind and slowly make our way across rough terrain for hours, determined to reach the people who need us most. How do we reach them? We never left. ForAfrika stays when everyone else leaves, and we continue delivering life-saving support to the most vulnerable families in Angola.

This commitment is at the heart of our long-standing partnership with Viendi and Kalupuca primary schools . Since 2008, ForAfrika has been running a school feeding programme for children who would otherwise face hunger, long walks for water, and the daily struggle of surviving in low-resourced communities.

School cook and Morgado Culembe, ForAfrika, serving students of Viendi Primary School

VIENDI: A COMMUNITY TRANSFORMED

In Viendi, our team is welcomed by village leader Soba Adelino, School Director Felipe, and teacher Daniel. The school currently serves 136 children, most from farming families who depend on the land to survive.

“I remember well how this school was before 2011: empty,” recalls Soba Adelino. “Families did not see the value of sending their children to class because there was no food at home or at the school. It was better to keep them at home working for food. Everything changed when ForAfrika brought the fortified rice.”

Students having their meal in the school canteen at Viendi Primary School

Morgado Culembe, ForAfrika’s Educational Project Coordinator, remembers that moment clearly. “We were supporting the adjacent health centre with milk for malnourished children. Many cases came from Viendi. When we reached the village and met the Soba1, we realised there was no water, no food, and the community was in urgent need of support.”

ForAfrika mobilised its partners to begin school feeding, and school attendance skyrocketed. Later, a borehole was constructed, giving students access to clean water. The school suddenly became more than a place to learn: it became a centre of hope.

School cook fetching the water to prepare the meals at Viendi Primary School

“In Viendi, we already see the value of children attending school,” reflects Soba Adelino. “Now we can dream of our children going to secondary school, even university, something we never thought possible. Of course, we still have challenges. The school structure is weak, and the rainy season disrupts classes. But we keep going.”

Teacher Daniel Chimbungo has taught at the school for a year and has witnessed tremendous progress. “For most students, this is their first, and sometimes only, meal of the day. It’s hard to teach a child who is hungry. School feeding makes everything easier.”

He goes beyond teaching:
“I don’t give up on them. I call parents to attend the school meetings, I follow up, I motivate them. I am a teacher, a counsellor, a psychologist, and a dreamer. I believe in the future of Angola and it starts right here.”

Teacher Daniel Chimango supporting the organisation of the feeding at Viendi Primary School

KALUPUCA: COMMUNITY STRENGTH IN ACTION

At Kalupuca, school feeding is also the backbone of learning. “It has made our school thrive, I can’t deny it,” says School Director Joana Geris. With savings generated from the programme, the community recently rehabilitated the refectory. “Now the children eat safely, and the rains don’t interrupt us.”

Joana not only directs the school, she also manages the cooking. She organises the distribution of meals, ensures children wash their hands, and coordinates volunteers. The effort is collective, fueled by a spirit of resilience and creativity.

Over 300 students attend Kalupuca school. Teacher Aldélio explains the daily challenge: “Sometimes I teach one class, give them an exercise, then run to another class with a different lesson. I keep switching so all children learn something new, we need more teachers urgently. Learning is an exercise!”

Time for Beia, a popular game that girls play at Kalupuca Primary School

The school feeding project ihas become a gateway to education and the foundation for a child’s future. In Kalupuca, the involvement of the whole community is crucial to bridging the gap between malnourishment and lack of education. Families and community leaders are increasingly engaged in shaping the future of their children and young people.

Director Joana Geris preparing the fortified rice that will be served to the students at Kalupuca Primary School

THE FUTURE OF SCHOOL FEEDING

Reflecting on the school feeding programme, Ailton Muchave, Country Director for ForAfrika in Angola, explains“In communities like Viendi and Kalupuca, where hunger competes with learning every single day, a warm, nutritious meal is often the deciding factor that keeps a child in the classroom instead of working in the fields or staying home without food. That is why ForAfrika is committed to sustaining and expanding these programmes, because the transformation we see, from higher attendance and improved concentration to healthier children, and empowered families.

Looking ahead, ForAfrika is committed to strengthening school feeding with local procurement, stronger community participation, and infrastructure improvements, ensuring that every child not only receives a meal but has access to quality learning in safe, vibrant, and hopeful environments. The future of Angola’s young generation depends on it and we will continue walking alongside them, one school, one community, one child at a time.

Students of Kalupuca School waiting for their turn at the school feeding moment

Students of Viendi Primary School finishing their classes of the day

Handwashing moment for the students of Kalupuca before their breakfast

School cook serving the prepared rice to the students at Viendi Primary School

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© 2026 | For Afrika to Thrive (Registration Number: 2010/025117/10) is a multi-national public charity with a global reach. We have affiliate offices in:
• South Africa (ForAfrika South Africa NPC, Registration Number: 1983/011022/08, NPO Number: 052-455-NPO, PBO Number: 130000144)
• United Kingdom (ForAfrika UK, England and Wales Registered Charity Number: 1050992, Scotland: SC043643)
• USA (ForAfrika USA, EIN: 38-2726350)
• Canada (Canada ForAfrika, Charity Number: 865982573 RR 0001)
• Germany (ForAfrika Deutschland e.V., Tax Number: 99019/38930)
• Switzerland (Stiftung Schweiz ForAfrika, Registration Number: CHE-114.509.322)
• Australia (ForAfrika Ltd, Registration Number: 651 493 980)
• Norway (ForAfrika Norge, Registration Number: 828 055 232)

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