Global Child Nutrition Foundation

"This was the happiest lunch I've ever had." 🍱 In Japan, #SchoolMeals are treated a living textbook to prepare children with the good judgment required for lifelong nutrition and sustainable diets. 📖 🥣 Over the past 3 days, #GCNForum2024 participants have learned about Japan's renowned school meal program, rooted in the concept of Shokuiku and the holistic targets of the Japanese School Lunch Program Act. This week's learning culminated in an unforgettable opportunity for participants to visit schools in Japan to experience these guiding principles of school lunch first-hand. Government and NGO leaders from around the world joined children for lunch, witnessing how meals are prepared with teamwork, served with gratitude, and enjoyed together. We are deeply grateful to the International Child Nutrition Japan (ICNJ) and our Japanese hosts for sharing their knowledge and practices with our global community. ⭐ Share your school lunch visit experience in the comments below! Kei Kuriwaki, Food For Education, The Rockefeller Foundation, Fortified Whole Grain Alliance (FWGA), Catholic Relief Services, USDA, World Vision, World Vision USA, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Sanku, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Edesia Nutrition, The Foundation for Fresh Produce, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan, The Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, HarvestPlus, FAO, Tailored Food, World Food Programme, UNICEF, UNICEF USA,

As we welcome 2025, we reflect with gratitude on an incredible year, highlighted by the success of the 2024 Global Child Nutrition Forum. 🎉 #GCNForum2024 was truly a global effort to strengthen school nutrition programs worldwide with 408 participants from 82 countries! 🌏 Together, we explored innovative solutions, shared best practices, and reaffirmed our collective commitment to ensuring that every child has access to nutritious #SchoolMeals. 🥣 ⭐ A special thank you to every participant, partner, and supporter who made this gathering unforgettable. Here’s to another year of impactful partnerships, shared learning, and progress toward sustainable and nutritious meals for all children! The Rockefeller Foundation, Food For Education, Fortified Whole Grain Alliance (FWGA), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Sanku, World Vision, World Vision USA, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Edesia Nutrition, The Foundation for Fresh Produce, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan, Alliance to End Hunger, Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, The Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, HarvestPlus, FAO, Tailored Food, USDA, World Food Programme, UNICEF, UNICEF USA, Emily Fredenberg

🌟Fueling Futures, One Plate at a Time in Osaka! 🍱 Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Global Child Nutrition Forum (GCNF) 2024 in Osaka, Japan—a gathering of changemakers, innovators, and dreamers, all united by a shared passion for making sure every child, everywhere, gets the nutrition they deserve. From the moment I walked into the buzzing conference room, the energy was infectious. We weren’t just talking about feeding kids—we were reimagining what’s possible when school meals become a catalyst for better education, stronger communities, and brighter futures. 💡 Our workshop on bringing locally procured fortified maize to schools was a game-changer. Imagine this: farmers thriving as their harvests go straight to children’s plates, and those plates filled with fortified, nutritious goodness. Seeing this vision come alive was powerful—but what truly struck me was how this idea sparked even bigger conversations about diverse, seasonal foods. 👍 Key Highlights: •                Shokuiku in Action: We witnessed Japan’s shokuiku philosophy, where food and nutrition education are seamlessly integrated into daily school life, fostering lifelong healthy eating habits. •                Global Survey Launch: The unveiling of the latest Global Survey of School Meal Programs provided invaluable insights into current trends and innovations, guiding our collective efforts toward more effective strategies. •                Peer-to-Peer Exchange: Engaging with school meal program leaders worldwide highlighted the universal challenges we face and the diverse solutions being implemented, reinforcing the power of shared knowledge. ❤️ My favorite moment: During a field visit in Osaka, we watched students actively engage in meal preparation and setting up their classroom dining spaces. When asked about their favorite part of the meal, their eyes lit up as they enthusiastically pointed to the humble orange—a seasonal treat that only graces their plates this time of year. It was heartening to see how these children not only savor their food but also embrace the rhythm of the seasons, living in harmony with nature’s cycles. This forum wasn’t just about policies and programs—it was about passion. It was about seeing what’s possible when we put children first. 🥗 I leave with a heart full of hope, dreaming of the day when the simple school meals I witnessed in Africa will be transformed into nutritious, sustainable plates of promise—just like the ones I saw in Japan. #GCNF2024 #NutritionMatters #FoodForEducation #InspiredAndGrateful Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) #LSFF #Foodfortification Global Child Nutrition Foundation Edwin Josiah Miriam Shindler Eny Kurnia Sari Mike Mazinga

Think back to your childhood and the routine of going to school each day. Perhaps you ate a hearty breakfast. Perhaps you headed to school having had no breakfast at all. But at some time during each school day, hunger came calling. And as it grew, your attention to classwork likely shrunk. Whether for social reasons, or simply to re-energize, mealtime at school was and always will be critical to a learner’s success. I often send my own third grade twins to school with snacks and lunch. And on some days, the kids ask to eat school lunch. Subsidized through state and county programming, these meals are highly affordable—but the costs are covered for those families that cannot afford them all the same. These are tremendous privileges that I often take for granted. Indeed, I’d wager that at some point, every LinkedIn user either relied upon, had access to or survived the difficulty of not having school meals.  The necessity of school meals likely resonates with each of us because it is a shared experience for many. Even so, school meals are still only available to about half of the world’s school children. This week World Vision USA co-sponsored the 2024 #GlobalChildNutritionForum--a convening that brought together program and policy makers from 84 countries to work towards scaling school meals for all children. In this brief reflection piece, my colleague Mary Njeri and I share why good school meals programming result from strong systems design, multisectoral collaboration, local leadership and public private partnerships: https://lnkd.in/eTrq7SNT School meals are worth our attention. Consider what you might do locally and even globally, to support this effort.   #schoolmeals #worldvision #GCNF Global Child Nutrition Foundation USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Dawn Goodwin

CRS staff from 13 Country Programs and headquarters visited the Global Child Nutrition Foundation Forum (GCNF) in Osaka, Japan last week. GCNF is one of the preeminent international forums for governments and organizations that implement school meal programming. A crucial tool for knowledge sharing, CRS staff led and participated in workshops and plenaries related to local procurement, the gender impacts of school meal programs, insect-fortified foods, and other significant areas related to food distribution in schools. CRS also participated in a session alongside USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)’s McGovern-Dole Food For Education Program, where we had the opportunity to share lessons learned from our ongoing project in Honduras. #GCNForum2024

India at the 24th Global Child Nutrition Forum (GCNF) in Osaka, Japan Lotus Valley International School, Gurugram, marked a proud milestone by participating in the 24th Global Child Nutrition Forum (GCNF) held from 9th-12th December 2024 in Osaka, Japan. Under the visionary guidance of Director-Principal Ms. Anita Malhotra, the school has pioneered a comprehensive Food and Nutrition Curriculum, developed in collaboration with Arney’s Fitkid and led by Mr. Pawan Agarwal (IAS), CEO of the Food Future Foundation. Representing the school at this prestigious international platform, Vice-Principal Ms. Ritu Jawa contributed as the School Partner. With over 400 participants from 84 countries, the forum centered on the theme “School Feeding Programs in the Age of Food Systems Transformation.” Discussions explored sustainable, climate-smart solutions, gender equity, and improving the nutritional quality of school meals. Attendees also visited Japanese schools to witness the renowned Shokuiku model, which integrates food and nutrition education into daily school practices. India's highlight was the ‘Food Literacy Plus’ Workshop led by the Vice-Principal, Ms. Ritu Jawa and Public Health Nutritionist, Advisor FFF- school engagement and curriculum,  Ms. Aditi Mehrotra. The interactive session delved into life skills, mindful eating, and behavior change, engaging participants in unique activities such as the ‘Food Soundscape,’ exploring cultural connections through food, and ‘Roaming in the Aroma’ to celebrate the diversity of Indian spices. India’s presence underscored its commitment to advancing child nutrition through innovative strategies and international collaboration, paving the way for healthier school feeding initiatives worldwide.

What a Difference a Year Makes, At Food For Education , 2024 has been nothing short of transformative and amazing. Here’s a snapshot of our incredible growth compared to 2023: 2023: 10 Central Kitchens 5 Counties | 945 Schools 165K Meals Daily, 19M Total Meals 56 Decentralised Kitchens 2k Employees 2024: 29 Central Kitchens 10 Counties | 1,300 Schools 450K Meals Daily, 48M Total Meals 93 Decentralized Kitchens, with 56 serving both fortified porridge and hot meals. 4k Employees Increased sorting capacity from 200 to 700 bags. Achieved universal school feeding in Nairobi County to both ECD and Primary school children Built a world-class laboratory to boost efficiency and impact. Signed a knowledge sharing MOU with The Akshayapatra foundation where 17 F4E employees were in Bangalore to experience that significant moment and learn some more about best school feeding practices. Hosted by the Global Child Nutrition Foundation in Osaka, Japan! Convened our first ever supplier capacity building. This year has been about scaling impact, innovation, and efficiency. Thankyou to our amazing Partners who have made this possible, The Kids, Parents, Donors, County & National Governments and internal leaders ; Our visionary Founder Wawira Njiru , Our Director of Fundraising Liviya David , Our Head of Policy & partnerships Shalom N. , Our Chief of Staff Lia Mayka Mumbo and all our F4E staff. Here’s to even bigger milestones in 2025 as we continue #FeedingtheFuture

I was privileged to attend the 2024 Global Child Nutrition Forum hosted by the Global Child Nutrition Foundation. The forum highlighted the transformative potential of school meal programs in building sustainable food systems. Being surrounded by like-minded individuals passionate about nutrition through school meals was both enlightening and inspiring. Together, we shared ideas, learned from one another, and forged connections that will help drive impactful change towards zero hunger, climate resilience and stronger communities Jacqueline Okello Rural Family Hope

"Hearing from countries that have exemplary #SchoolMeals gives me hope for what's possible in my own country." ✨ 🌏 Day 3 of #GCNForum2024 highlighted the incredible value of learning from countries leading by example and the power of #collaboration between communities, governments, and partners. Government and NGO leaders from Korea, Lao Republic, Brazil, Mozambique, Mauritania, Bhutan, Angola, and Nigeria started the day by discussing strategies to #strengthen, finance, and #sustain school meal programs. Initiatives making a difference and visionary plans for scaling sustainable school meals were discussed by Wawira Njiru Food For Education, Miriam Shindler Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Beatrice Wamey Nascent Solutions, and global leaders from Ethiopia, Yemen, and Côte d'Ivoire. Our final day of workshops explored: 🏦 Leveraging school feeding programs to build local economies 📈 Utilizing insights from the Global Survey of School Meal Programs© 🍚 Innovations for healthier futures through fortification ✅ Why nutritional quality matters throughout the school meal value chain We want to thank all our #GCNForum2024 workshop leaders for sharing their expertise in creative and engaging ways! The Rockefeller Foundation, Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Theresa Becchi, Counterpart International, Fernanda Macedo Pacobahyba, Moses Ekwueme, Shivani Gharge, Arvind Betigeri, World Food Programme, Nora Hobbs, Judy Boucek, dsm-firmenich, Catholic Relief Services, World Vision USA, Richard Ndou, Precious Mubanga, MBA, MPA., World Vision, Taylor Quinn, Tailored Food, Ravinder Grover, HarvestPlus, Sanku, Temoi Rachel, Nelson Mwangi, Sowrya K, Winnie Bell, PhD, MPH, Intake Center for Dietary Assessment, Melissa Vargas Araya, FAO, Fatima Hachem, University of Ghana

We want to extend a special thank you to all of the #GCNForum2024 supporters and partners who helped make this week possible! 🥣 🌏 Ajinomoto Co., Inc. Catholic Relief Services Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) Edesia Nutrition Food For Education International Fresh Produce Association Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan The Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Nakanishi Mfg Co Ltd The Rockefeller Foundation Sanku World Vision USA Fortified Whole Grain Alliance (FWGA) Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)