Learning and Growing: Sisters Begin Second Year of Nutrition Program at Baguio Elementary
By Anna Mercer
The phrase “school lunch” conjures images of compartmentalized trays and mystery meat for some of us—but at an elementary school in Davao, Philippines, lunch is making a marked difference for kindergarteners.
Nearly 40 children line up every day for lunch at Baguio Elementary. These children were identified as severely malnourished according to the United Nations’ standards for height, weight by age. Baguio teachers, including Shenie and Lanay, volunteer their time to purchase, cook, and distribute the food. These same teachers measure the impact of the program by tracking the students’ physical development and progress in school.
Meals have been rolling out since Spring of 2022, and the results show that all of the participating children now meet the UN’s benchmark for “normal” weight and height by age. Teachers also reported improved attendance and student focus on learning.
Shenie and Lanay, who both work at Baguio Elementary, are sisters, and lead volunteers for the lunch program. The sisters, along with another teacher, Elvie Joy, manage the program on top of their other school duties. During Shawn’s trip to Davao each year, he checks in on the program. While on campus in February 2024, he spoke with Shenie and Lanay about changes they’ve seen in the kindergarteners. The sisters said that with better nutrition, the children are able to focus. They are learning to read, draw, and write without the distraction of hunger. They also reported better engagement with teachers during class.
“When students are well-nourished, they are happy, engaged, and ready to thrive in their learning journey,” Shenie said. “When children eat well, they learn well too.”
Another set of sisters are to thank for the lunch program—Elsie Larsen and Emma Chapman, founders of the blog A Beautiful Mess. After learning about the nutrition needs at Baguio, Emma and Elsie generously offered to launch the program with funding for the first three years.
Baguio Elementary has started farming cocoa plants with the intention to create a sustainable source of funding for school nutrition programs, but Elsie and Emma’s donation has been instrumental in providing lunch services.
We are so thankful for these sisters’ efforts to meet critical nutrition needs at Baguio Elementary. Kindergarteners should be focused on learning, not hunger, and the support from these women is making that possible.
