Nutrition First

Feeding a child is not only about filling a plate. Nutrition First makes sure the food we serve is actually doing its job, by measuring growth, catching problems early, and stepping in with extra support where it is needed.

Growth monitoring, every term

Our community health workers weigh and measure every child in our partner schools each term, recording the results against World Health Organization growth standards. The data lets us spot the early signs of stunting or wasting long before they become visible to a busy parent or teacher.

Targeted support, not one-size-fits-all

When a child's growth falls behind, we respond with a tailored plan. That might mean a fortified porridge added to the school meal, a course of micronutrient supplements, a deworming treatment, or a referral to a partner clinic for a full assessment. Families are involved at every step.

Working with health systems

Nutrition First is designed to reinforce, not replace, existing public health services. Where a community has a functioning clinic, our data feeds into it. Where it does not, we advocate for one — and in the meantime, we make sure no child falls through the gap.

Of the children who enter our early-intervention program, nine in ten recover fully within two terms. That is what happens when nutrition is treated as a health question, not just a question of hunger.