The UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) has pledged its commitment in humanitarian efforts in Malawi.

The humanitarian works in question are the purchase of maize to alleviate the looming hunger that has rocked the country and support the continuity of school feeding programme in primary schools.

Speaking in Lilongwe on Wednesday at Phuti LEA School after inspecting the school feeding programme, DFID Director for West and Southern Africa, Keith Mackiggan said UK and other international partners are looking up to Malawi Government for absolute clarity on government’s plan to manage the maize deficit.

“The UK has already committed 24 million pounds of humanitarian support to the current food crisis in Malawi. UK Ministers recently confirmed an additional 11 million pounds to support the distribution of maize through the World Food Programme to enable delivery of life saving food to 4.75 million most vulnerable. We are urging partners to further scale up their response now,” Mackiggan appealed.

“Today, I came to see how Mary’s Meals, a Scottish NGO is providing vital school feeding every day to keep children in school. The UK has provided UK Aid Match funding of 5 million pounds over 3 years to support Government school meals programmes in Malawi and Zambia through Mary’s Meals.

“DFID provided 5 million pounds and Mary’s Meals has contributed an additional 1,920, 037 pounds. Most of this funding, 5, 257, 534 pounds will be spent in Malawi. This will support a total of 357 primary schools and benefit up to 212, 761 students,” he disclosed.

Mackiggan added: “We welcome the collaboration between Mary’s Meals, Ministry of Education, the Malawi National Social Support Programme and the private sector in delivering this programme. The private sector locally source and procure the Likuni Phala used in the school feeding and provides the logistics to deliver this on a monthly basis to schools throughout the country.”

Phuti LEA Headmaster Pyson Kachingwe applauded DFID, Mary’s Meals and Government for the programme, saying since the introduction of the school feeding programme, the school had seen an increased number of students enrolment.

“A hungry student cannot pay attention in class. It’s hard to learn on an empty stomach. This programme has helped so much since most students leave their homes hungry. On our part, it has helped us to deliver. In 2015 we managed to send some students to national secondary school,” he stated.

However, despite praising the school feeding programme, among others the Headmaster bemoaned lack of school blocks at the school.

“We have 11 streams learning outside.  This affects us negatively because students do not pay full attention,” Kachingwe pointed out.

Concurring with her Headmaster, 15 year old Enifa Chemile attributed her outstanding performance to the feeding programme while complaining the disturbances that come for learning under the tree.

“We try our best to concentrate. But there are some factors that are not man-made therefore hard to control. Sometimes it gets windy and cold,” bemoaned the standard 8 student.

Phuti LEA School has 1,705 learners using only eight classrooms in four class blocks.