In Kuajok, the promise of a nutritious meal at school can make the difference between a child attending class or staying at home. Since the start of the Home-Grown School Feeding Initiative in Kuajok, school enrolment and participation has increased by approximately 15 percent, a sign that school feeding is not only addressing hunger but also opening the door to education for more children. In schools such as Christ the King Primary School, these meals are also helping children learn the importance of healthy eating, lessons they carry into their homes.

What makes this initiative even more powerful is that it is rooted in the community itself. Smallholder farmers in Kuajok are supplying vegetables such as amaranthus, kale, and regila to local schools, ensuring that children receive fresh, diverse, and nutrient-rich meals while farmers earn income from their harvests. This creates a cycle of shared benefit in which local agriculture supports local education, and school feeding becomes a driver of both improved nutrition and stronger livelihoods.

Through the Asset Creation and Livelihoods project, implemented by ForAfrika with funding from the World Food Programme, farmers are receiving agricultural inputs and training to improve production. This support also enables farmers to access dependable markets close to home. In a place where long distances limit earning opportunities, local markets are life changing.

At the Alek Community Vegetable Farm in Kuajok, 20 farmers, including 15 women and 5 men, are part of the beneficiaries of the project. After the training, the group planted vegetables on 14 plots of land. Despite the prolonged dry season, the group harvested vegetables and sold their produce to five schools, including Christ the King Primary School. Instead of watching their harvests struggle to reach distant markets, these farmers found buyers within their own community and became active contributors to the wellbeing of local children.

The harvest generated total revenues of SSP 115,000 (approximately USD 882 ). For the farmers involved, this was proof that their hard work could feed children, strengthen household incomes, and create new possibilities for the future. The highest contributing farmer earned 29,000 SSP (USD 222 ), while the least contributor earned SSP 3,000 (about 23 USD) from a single harvest. While modest, the returns matter deeply in a community where every opportunity to earn can make a family’s life better.

On the other side of change are the schools, which are supported by WFP through the Cash-Based Transfer initiative. This enables schools to purchase food directly from local producers, creating a practical and sustainable link between farmers and learners. With support from ForAfrika and WFP, this local procurement model is helping schools provide more balanced meals while giving farmers the incentive they need to produce more.

For the children, the impact is immediate and deeply felt. According to Daniel Thiep, Head Boy at Christ the King Primary School, “The Home-Grown School Feeding initiative has spiced our school meals, improved attendance and retention rates. We are grateful to ForAfrika and WFP for this generous project.”

The fresh vegetables supplied by farmers complement the sorghum and pulses provided by WFP, making school meals more balanced and nutritious. These meals support children’s physical growth, intellectual development, and readiness to learn. The initiative is also building a stronger sense of community ownership, deeper collaboration between schools and farmers, and a more sustainable pathway for feeding children in ways that nourish bodies and local economies.