The school principal of the Craigielea Tamil Vidyalayam in Pathana, Nuwara Eliya, requested the ADT to support the children in her school with a nutritious meal three times a week as the children attending this school come from very impoverished and vulnerable homes. Due to the economic crisis in the country, the prevailing drought and the financial struggles they face, the parents have been unable to provide their children with the basic three meals a day; most don’t even bring food to school.
The children benefiting from the ADT’s feeding programme are those from either single-parent households, those who have lost their fathers or those who live with their grandparents or with both parents. Seventy-six children from Craigielea Tamil Vidyalayam now enjoy a healthy meal every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This initiative provides the children with a nutritious breakfast or lunch in school. The teachers are pleased with the outcome of this programme as they see a notable increase in school attendance, and the children are more eager to continue their studies.
A group of volunteers from Nuwara Eliya support cooking these meals and distributing them among the 76 school children. The ADT plans to conduct this feeding programme for ten weeks; during this period, the ADT secures the children's food security at Craigielea Tamil Vidyalayam. The nutritious meals will reduce malnutrition levels and increase school attendance and interest in their studies.