Growing Healthy Food & Healthy Children in Ghana

Amidu lives in the rural village of Ama Badu in Ghana and serves as the PTA chairman of the local primary school.  He lives with his family, including his two daughters and one son, named Sumaila (5 years old), Faizatu (4 years old) and Muniratu (2 years old). Both Sumaila and Faizatu attend Ama Badu primary and are served breakfast at school every day due to Self-Help International's school feeding program.

Amidu’s family are farmers that believe one of the best things to ever happen to their community is Self-Help's school feeding program. The program has contributed to increased school enrollment and attendance. It has also brought relief to parents with school-aged children by eliminating the need to get breakfast ready before school starts and providing reassurance that their children well get fed that day.

“The school feeding program is the anchor to the foundation of our primary school.” Amidu explained “I live here and have seen how the feeding program has caught the attention of the people of Ama Badu and beyond. Before the introduction of the program, many students stayed home, a situation I initially attributed to the high rates of illiteracy among their parents.”

Christopher, the headmaster of the Ama Badu primary school, told Self-Help International,  “Amidu has taken it upon himself to ensure that the one-acre Quality Protein Maize (QPM) school farm that ensures a regular supply of maize for school breakfast is free of weeds. He purchases and sprays herbicides at no cost to the school.”

Amidu believes his kindness comes from his firm belief in the SHI school feeding program.

With support from Amidu and likeminded parents whose children benefit from the feeding program, the program will gradually become self-sustaining. Amidu constantly tells community members, “Let’s work hard in support of this program and own it for future generations!”

Over 700 school children in rural Ghana are fed breakfast prepared from QPM every school day, which has resulted in increased enrollment and attendance. The program is helping to build a sense of pride and ownership among community members, which are key in community development. With their dedication and passion, community members like Amidu make projects like Self-Help’s school feeding program possible.