School Feeding Helps Unlock the Promise of the World’s Youngest and Largest Generation

Reaching 3 million children with daily school meals, Mary’s Meals helps create a pathway to education and opportunity.

BLOOMFIELD, NJ, UNITED STATES, January 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Ahead of International Day of Education on January 24, Mary’s Meals reaffirms its commitment to reaching more children with a daily meal at school, so every young person has the chance to develop, thrive, and fulfill their potential. This is especially important as the largest generation of young people comes of age.

Today, 1.8 billion people between the ages of 10 and 24 make up the largest generation of youth in history, and nearly 90% live in developing countries, according to the United Nations (U.N.). Representing about 22% of the global population, they have the potential to help address some of the world’s most complex issues. But to achieve that, they must first have the basics: a daily meal and access to school.

Guaranteeing meaningful learning opportunities for every young person is essential and urgent. By 2030, the world will reach the deadline to achieve the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), including No Poverty, Zero Hunger, and Quality Education. These interconnected goals cannot be accomplished without access to educational opportunities, and learning is not possible where hunger persists.

School meals play a central role in addressing these challenges. Signalling their importance, in 2023, school meals were added as an official indicator of the SDG 4: Quality Education. They improve health, increase attendance and academic engagement, and foster education, a clear path out of poverty. Yet millions of children face obstacles to schooling because of conflict, climate extremes, hunger, and poverty.
It’s estimated that 638 million people face hunger, and 272 million children are out of school.

For 24 years, school-feeding charity Mary’s Meals has seen first-hand how a simple meal served at school can transform a child’s life. These community-led feeding programs reach children in some of the most challenging places and contexts.

Paul McMahon, Director of Marketing and Communications at Mary’s Meals, said: “A hungry stomach has no ears to listen. By feeding children in a place of learning, Mary’s Meals offers a simple solution to child hunger that works.” He added, “As our founder and CEO Magnus MacFarlane Barrow reminds us, ‘For the poorest children, the right to food and the right to education are inseparable. School meals uphold these fundamental rights and many others too.’”

Now operating in 16 countries and providing meals for more than 3 million students in over 5,000 schools, Mary’s Meals has supported the rise of a new cohort called Generation Hope. These young adults have gone on to pursue further studies, start businesses, secure employment, and help strengthen their families and communities. Mary’s Meals annual Impact Reports across five countries consistently show that school meals improve nutrition, growth, learning outcomes, and the well-being of local communities.

When children receive a regular daily meal and consistent access to education, they gain opportunities to socialize and expand their prospects. School meals also help promote gender equality: boys and girls receive the same chance to learn, socialize, and build meaningful connections.

In countries suffering from conflict, poverty, and hunger, school meals are lifelines. In places like Haiti, they help keep students in school, nourished, and focused and less vulnerable to gang recruitment. In regions where educating girls has not traditionally been prioritized, school meals give families a compelling reason to send daughters to school, offering an alternative to early marriage and restricted life prospects.



— END —

Helena Finnegan
Mary's Meals USA
+1 239-290-7788
email us here

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.