School meals for conflict-affected children and adolescents (boys and girls) in underserved and hard-to-reach areas in Lakes and Jonglei, South Sudan. SCI will implement this project in an integrated way and in coordination with relevant clusters, recognizing that schools are platforms through which protection, nutrition, hygiene, health and psychosocial issues can be addressed. Daily school meals will be provided to 3,520 learners (Target: 2,464 boys and 1,056 girls) in 10 selected primary schools in Lakes (Rumbek Centre) and Jonglei (Akobo West County). 

In addition, a take-home ration for girls P3 and above based on attendance (Target: 160 girls) will be provided on a monthly basis. For all of them, a daily school meal can mean not only better nutrition and health, but also increased access to and achievement in education. It is also a strong incentive for parents and caregivers to consistently send children to school during a time of food insecurity and instability at household level. One of the outcomes is also to prevent chronic malnutrition in girls then women, lowering the long-term risk of low birth weight (Cycle of hunger). Given the high dropout rates of girls in the upper grades,this intervention is designed to bolster enrolment and attendance rates which are significantly low especially among the girl child and improve learning outcomes. This process will help to improve learning through better concentration making other education instruments more effective and makes it possible for poor families to send hungry children to school rather than have them look for food or work. School level meetings will be conducted. This will set up priorities and establish effective and accountable food delivery, distribution and monitoring networks for the school meals and take home rations. 

Necessary orientation and training will be provided to PTA members (Target: 120: 84M36F) and Government officials (Target: 10: 7M 3M) as a strategy of ensuring effective and accountable food delivery, distribution and monitoring. This will increase understanding on effective and accountable food delivery, distribution and monitoring among the school authorities. Through this project interventions, widespread sensitization will take place among the communities of the target schools. The awareness will focus on the importance of good nutrition to the community, enhanced participation of women in school management committees, increase HIV/AIDS awareness and ensure maintenance of the water sources and provision of safe water in collaboration with the WASH cluster. This will help ensure commitment by the communities and local officials to immediate and long term programme goals. 

The community awareness sessions on de-worming component will include how to use deworming tablets along with hygiene, sanitation and nutrition awareness provided through information and education materials in collaboration with the health and nutrition clusters/partners/sectors. The project will build on existing UNICEF education funded interventions currently implemented in the same school locations. This will be a deliberate strategy aimed at integration and building synergies including reducing costs.

SCI will coordinate and work together with other clusters especially the FSL. Focusing on dry season planning and the use of coordinated road convoys to Akobo will be explored as first priority. The supplies will be pre-positioned at strategic locations and most appropriate/cost effective mode of transport will be used in all cases. Opportunities in all the logistics hubs will be explored. SCI will first consider local procurement of food items and materials in Rumbek and Bor. In cases of limitations in the pipeline transportation, cost effective flight charters will be considered.