The Government of Sindh and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have launched the Sindh School Meals Program in Karachi, marking a major investment in child nutrition and education in Pakistan. Funded with USD 80 million through the USDA’s McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, the initiative will provide daily cooked meals and take-home rations to more than 200,000 students in nearly 1,300 primary schools across Sindh province.
The programme will be implemented by Save the Children and the World Food Programme (WFP) in coordination with Sindh’s Planning and Development Department, School Education and Literacy Department, and provincial Food and Health departments. It is designed to improve school enrolment, attendance, and foundational learning outcomes by addressing malnutrition, which has been exacerbated by recent floods and economic challenges.
The Sindh School Meals Program represents one of the largest regional investments in school nutrition to date. By tackling food insecurity among children in underprivileged communities, the initiative aims to enhance students’ concentration, academic performance, and overall well-being. It also seeks to bring out-of-school children back into classrooms by reducing hunger-related barriers to education.
To ensure long-term sustainability and institutional ownership, the programme includes capacity-building measures at school and district levels. Teachers, headteachers, School Management Committee members, and district officials will receive training in food safety, nutrition education, and monitoring systems. Additionally, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities in targeted schools will be rehabilitated to provide safe environments for meal preparation and consumption.
Implementation oversight will be managed through a Joint Steering Committee comprising representatives from the Government of Sindh, WFP, Save the Children, and national partners. The initiative combines fortified U.S.-sourced wheat, vegetable oil, and pulses with locally procured fresh produce from Sindh’s farmers, supporting both school nutrition and local agricultural livelihoods. By integrating education, nutrition, and local economic support, the programme aims to strengthen human capital development and contribute to a more resilient provincial economy.
