School Feeding Programme

The Belize Church Association seeks to establish an exchange ‘twinning’ link between Anglican Schools in Belize and schools in England. As well as exchange of news and pictures, and the opportunity to use information received as a response for teaching, the school in England is asked to raise money to support the Belize Schools school feeding programme. Ideally a minimum amount is promised for a set number of years so that the Belize school can budget properly.

In Belize there is no universal provision of school lunches; schools have to put their own programme together with some government assistance but still depend on local and charitable support. Hunger among poorer children has been identified as a significant cause of educational underachievement.

Colmore Junior School, Birmingham and St Hilda’s, Georgeville are the first pair of schools to have developed a significant relationship. Each year Colmore raises at least £400 (Bze$ 1,300) and both schools exchange photographs and news.

A group from All Saints Parish Church, in Kings Heath, Birmingham contribute £2 per week each to St Matthew’s Pomona. This is not a link between schools, but does give St Mathew’s an assured base from which to organise its provision of meals for children from poor families. It’s also an example of a good way of providing dependable support to a school – 10 people pledge a quite small amount of money weekly, the donation is Gift Aided and the total benefit to the school is £1,380 (Bze$4,315) per year.