School feeding programs are emerging as a strategic lever for improving both the quality of education and food security in Senegal. In Dakar, the Chargé d'Affaires of the U.S. Embassy, Jennifer Davis Paguada, and the Minister of National Education, Moustapha Mamba Guirassy, launched the third phase of the Sukaabe Janngo project. This school nutrition program aims to provide daily hot meals to more than 135,000 preschool and elementary school children, particularly in the south of the country.

Implemented by Counterpart International, in partnership with the Senegalese Ministries of National Education, Health and Social Action, and Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock, the Sukaabe Janngo III project adopts a child-centered approach. It targets six departments: Sédhiou, Goudomp, Bounkiling, Kolda, Vélingara and Medina Yoro Foulah.

Beyond simply providing meals, the program aims for a lasting impact on the beneficiary communities. By ensuring daily access to quality food, it helps improve student concentration, reduce absenteeism, and create optimal learning conditions. For the authorities, school feeding programs also represent a powerful tool for combating malnutrition and strengthening human capital.

“School feeding is not peripheral in our program, it is a central pillar. From school feeding, we can achieve food sovereignty. We must even move in the direction of a bill that will pass in the National Assembly,” said Minister Moustapha Mamba Guirassy.

For her part, Jennifer Davis Paguada reaffirmed the United States' commitment to the education and well-being of Senegalese children. "Children are, without a doubt, the greatest resource and the future of this country, which is why it is essential to give them all the attention they deserve," she emphasized.

By combining education, nutrition and local development, the initiative aims to lay the foundations for a more equitable future for thousands of children and strengthen the country's food sovereignty.