The Hemas Outreach Foundation (HOF) and ‘Hoppers-London,’ a renowned UK restaurant, have joined forces to address the pressing issue of malnutrition among underprivileged children in vulnerable communities during their early childhood development years. This collaborative initiative, titled ‘Feeding the Future,’ aims to provide nutritious food to destitute children in communities while facilitating a conducive learning environment through preschool education.

In Sri Lanka, the economic crisis has led to a rise in malnutrition in the country.  This had an effect among children attending Piyawara preschools too. The concerning situation was brought to the attention of the Hemas Outreach Foundation by the teachers in the affected regions. In response, HOF reached out to their network in the United Kingdom to seek assistance in addressing this critical issue.

Partnership with ‘Hoppers-London’: 

Upon learning about the situation, ‘Hoppers-London,’ a popular restaurant inspired by the culinary traditions of Sri Lanka, stepped forward to support HOF’s mission. This partnership has led to the creation of a ‘Nutrition Pack’ that will be distributed to underprivileged children in Piyawara preschools.

Implementation:

Phase 1 (2022):

In the first phase of the project, which began in July 2022, 367 families from 15 of the most affected Piyawara preschools across six impoverished districts were selected. These families received nutrition packs for a period of five months, designed to address their immediate needs. Cargills supermarkets, with outlets throughout Sri Lanka, were entrusted with assembling these nutrition packs. Preschool teachers collected the packs from their nearest Cargills supermarket and distributed them to the children attending the Piyawara preschool.   

Phase 2 (2023):

Building upon the success of the first phase, the second phase of the project commenced in July 2023. This expanded initiative targeted 1,160 families from 34 of the most severely affected Piyawara preschools in eleven impoverished districts. The families received Protein packs for a duration of six months, further addressing the nutritional deficiencies faced by these vulnerable communities. Once again, Cargills supermarkets played a crucial role in assembling and distributing the nutrition packs through the preschool teachers.

As the project progresses, it is hoped that the long-term focus on school meals and children’s nutrition will further contribute to breaking the cycle of poverty and malnutrition in these regions whilst providing a conducive learning environment for preschool children.