As the new academic year begins, individuals and institutions have jointly pledged more than Rwf315 million to the 'Dusangire Lunch' - 'Let Us Share Lunch' - campaign aimed to support the national school feeding programme.
So far, up to Rwf143.3 million has been received through various channels, and the Ministry of Education is urging the public to continue the collaborative effort in building the country's future.
Rose Baguma, the Director General of Education Policy and Analysis at the Ministry of Education, told The New Times that the funds are yet to be distributed. The campaign launched in late June in partnership with Mobile Money (MoMo) Rwanda and Umwalimu SACCO has attracted contributions from individual Rwandans within and outside the country, institutions, and private sector players.
In a previous interview, Baguma said that the initiative was a "long-awaited" opportunity for diverse contributors such as private companies, organizations, or individuals who wanted to support the school feeding programme.
"This initiative reflects the stakeholders' appreciation for the programme and their eagerness to participate as part of their social responsibility. Through this partnership, contributors can support the programme using various methods," she said.
As of early August, contributions had reached Rwf22,587,196, with further commitments still being followed up.
Baguma highlighted that the campaign has no fixed timeline or target for contributions, stating, "Contributions are ongoing, and we will continue to monitor the campaign's progress."
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Donations can be made by means of several platforms including MoMo, Umwalimu SACCO accounts, and through X challenges.
How to participate
To contribute to #DusangireLunch, dial *182*3*10# and follow the prompts.
As little as Rwf1,000 can be used to feed a child for the whole trimester while Rwf3,000 feeds a child for the whole school year but people can contribute as much as they can.
Baguma emphasized that alongside the government's role in funding, policymaking, and monitoring, the involvement of parents and other stakeholders has been crucial to the programme's success.
Launched in 2021, the school feeding programme was expanded to cover all learners in basic education from pre-primary to secondary levels raising the number of beneficiaries from 600,000 to 4.5 million.
Government funding has also increased significantly, from Rwf27 billion in 2020/2021 to Rwf90 billion in 2023/2024. Since the expansion, primary school dropout rates have decreased by 4 percent.
Currently, the government covers 90 percent of school feeding costs per child, with parents contributing around Rwf1,000 per trimester.
