Santorini Mozambique Footprints -Chigamane School

2026 Santorini Footprints Mid-Year Project Report

As we reach the midpoint of 2026, Santorini Footprints continues to focus on the pillars that have guided our social responsibility initiatives from the beginning: nutrition, education, community resilience, and opportunity.

 What follows is a reflection on the collective efforts of our guests, travel partners, staff, volunteers, and community members during the first half of the year. While the numbers tell an important story, they represent something much greater: children arriving at school ready to learn, families receiving support during difficult periods, and a community working together to create lasting change.

Chigamane School – School Meals Project

The School Feeding Programme remains the cornerstone of Santorini Footprints, providing daily nutritional support to learners at Chigamane Primary School and positively influencing attendance, concentration, and educational outcomes.

Meals continue to be prepared and stored on-site by dedicated parent volunteers whose commitment remains at the heart of the programme's success. Their efforts ensure that hundreds of children receive a reliable meal each school day, particularly during the cooler months and towards the end of the local fishing season, when food insecurity often increases.

In 2025 alone, more than 90,000 meals were served to nearly 500 learners. Over the past three years, the programme has contributed to improved attendance, learner retention, and first-grade enrolment, highlighting the importance of a reliable daily meal in supporting educational success.

During 2026, the programme has faced new challenges. Our partner and  supplier of the MannaPack Rice used in the feeding programme, has experienced logistical distribution difficulties. In response, Santorini Footprints has been working with PARCO, local businesses, and community stakeholders to develop a more sustainable, locally sourced meal solution using rice, vegetables, and peanuts.

While this approach increases programme costs, it also strengthens local ownership and resilience. The community is now exploring a model whereby locally grown peanuts can be processed into peanut butter, creating additional economic opportunities while supporting food security.

The Feeding Programme received six guest donations during the reporting period, totalling USD 606. Every contribution helps us continue providing this essential service to the children of Chigamane.

The School Access Kits Programme

Education begins with access, and the School Access Kits Programme continues to address one of the most common barriers faced by vulnerable learners: a lack of basic school materials.

During the first half of 2026, a total of 16 School Access Kits were donated through the generosity of guests and travel trade partners. These kits provide learners with essential educational supplies and help ensure that children can begin and continue their schooling with confidence and dignity.

Community Infrastructure and Resilience

Community resilience extends beyond education and nutrition. During the reporting period, the Roof Repairs Project received two guest donations totalling USD 200.

These contributions support ongoing efforts to improve school facilities and strengthen community infrastructure, helping create a safer and more secure learning environment.

Educational and Learning Resources

In addition to School Access Kits, several guests donated valuable educational supplies to support local learning initiatives.

One donation included 576 crayons, 120 pencils, 24 pencil sharpeners, and 10 notebooks, while another provided coloured pencils, marker pens, rulers, highlighters, and wax crayons. These resources help enrich classroom learning and support children's educational development.

Healthcare and First Aid Support

Santorini Footprints also received a substantial donation of medical and first-aid supplies during April. The donation included 12 tubes of antibiotic ointment and more than 600 assorted bandages, providing valuable support for basic healthcare needs within the community.

While often overlooked, access to basic medical supplies can make a meaningful difference in addressing minor injuries and promoting day-to-day wellbeing.

Looking Ahead

The first half of 2026 has highlighted both the challenges and opportunities that come with community development. As circumstances continue to evolve, particularly around food supply chains, the importance of local partnerships and community-led solutions has never been clearer.

The generosity of our guests, travel partners, staff, and supporters continues to make a tangible difference across every area of the Santorini Footprints Initiative. From daily meals and educational support to healthcare resources and infrastructure improvements, each contribution helps build a healthier, more resilient future.

As we look towards the remainder of the year, we remain committed to building on these achievements and working alongside the Chigamane School community to create sustainable, long-term impact.

A Year in Reflection

As always, we stayed the course through 2025, focusing our social responsibility initiatives on nutrition, education, environmental stewardship, and community resilience.

What follows is a condensed reflection of the collective efforts of our guests, staff, partners, and local volunteers over the past year. Each initiative represents not just action, but relationships built, trust earned, and small, meaningful steps taken together.

Chigamane School – School Meals Project

The School Feeding Programme remained the cornerstone of Santorini Footprints in 2025, providing 90,000 meals to learners at Chigamane School. By offering daily nutritional support, the programme continued to improve school attendance, concentration, and overall educational outcomes.

The school year began on 4 February, with porridge distribution commencing on 21 February . Once underway, the programme ran smoothly for the remainder of the year, achieving zero stock-outs — a small logistical victory that made a meaningful difference to the children who rely on these meals.

Food was prepared and stored on-site by dedicated parent volunteers whose quiet commitment remains the driving force behind the programme’s success. The meals proved particularly important during the cooler months and toward the end of the fishing season, when food security in many households traditionally declines.

During the year, 26 guests visited the school, strengthening transparency, connection, and long-term support for the project.

The School Access Kits Programme

Education begins with access, and the School Access Kits programme addresses one of the most common barriers faced by learners: a lack of basic school materials.

Since launching in 2022 with just eight kits, the initiative has grown into one of our most impactful and fastest-growing programmes. In 2025, 86 school kits were donated, with 29 distributed during the year and 57 strategically reserved for distribution at the start of the 2026 academic year, when they can support early enrolment and improved retention.

An additional three kits were donated through the GlobalGiving online platform. All distributions were conducted transparently, often in the presence of guardians, school leadership, and community partners. By mid-year, the school confirmed that the most vulnerable 10% of learners had received support through the programme.

In addition to the kits, 15.01 kg of classroom supplies were donated directly to support immediate learning needs.

Chigamane School Garden

The Chigamane School Garden continued to serve both as a nutritional supplement to the feeding programme and as a practical learning space for sustainability and nutrition education. The garden was revived through a modest 800 MZN seed donation. This support enabled the successful cultivation of lettuce and kale, with all produce harvested and consumed during school lunches.

The addition of fresh leafy greens improved dietary diversity, supporting both immune health and cognitive development among learners. The garden completed a full growing cycle, with its final harvest taking place in the last quarter of the year.

 Closing Reflections

The year reaffirmed the value of consistency, adaptability, and collaboration. While challenges remain — particularly around long-term food security — the foundation built through trust, transparency, and strong partnerships continues to grow.