CARE and partners support school feeding programs to give vulnerable girls and boys from impoverished communities the opportunity to learn and grow to their fullest potential, increasing equality and empowerment, especially for girls. Cost-effective approaches to school feeding support both education and health. CARE's framework focuses on four primary areas: 1) Increasing the capacity of government agencies, school administrators, and community-based organizations to better manage, fund, and monitor school feeding; 2) Improving tools, techniques, and learning environments to increase literacy skills; 3) Overcoming social norms to increase gender equality and ensure equal learning opportunities for girls; and 4) Increasing food production, income generating activities, and the practice of optimal nutrition, health and WASH behaviors, both at home and at school. Wherever possible, school feeding programs procure nutritious foods from local sources-especially women small-scale producers -in order to support local economies and strengthen women's economic empowerment. CARE and partners also ensure sustainable change by influencing governments to enact legislation and policies that guarantee future funding for school feeding programs, or incorporate proven models into national programs.
