Every morning in a quiet town in Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte, 35-year-old Rechel begins her day with familiar routines. She prepares breakfast, helps her three children get ready for school, and walks her youngest, seven-year-old Ashley, to class. 

Ashley is in first grade and still finding her footing in the classroom. She’s shy and easily overwhelmed. That’s why Rechel stays, waiting outside until her daughter’s class is done. 

“It’s okay,” Rechel said. “She just needs time. I’ll wait as long as she needs me.” 

In 2023, Ashley was included in the school-based feeding program implemented by ChildFund Philippines and Convoy of Hope. She was one of the children identified as stunted, with weight and height not aligned with what’s expected for her age. 

Rechel, already present in the school every day, didn’t hesitate to get involved. With her love for cooking, she became one of the volunteer parents who prepared meals for the children. It quickly became part of her daily routine, working alongside other mothers to plan and cook nutritious food for hundreds of students. 

Rechel prepares meals for the school-based feeding program 

At the heart of their meals is the MannaPack Rice, a fortified food product designed to provide essential nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. At first, many children were unfamiliar with the taste and hesitant to eat it. 

Rechel and the other mothers began to experiment. They mixed the rice with coconut milk and sugar, made sweet chocolate porridge, added bananas and sweet potatoes, even created fried rice with egg and meat. Slowly, the children began to enjoy the meals. 

“It’s still the same MannaPack, but we make it taste like something they know. Something they like,” Rechel said. 

The program is held daily, usually at lunchtime, and sometimes includes snacks. Since it began, Rechel has noticed significant changes in Ashley. 

“She’s more active in school now. She talks more. She’s taller, stronger, and more confident,” she shared. “And I feel calmer too. I know there’s a healthy meal waiting for her every day.” 

In Ashley’s school alone, there are 723 students participating in the feeding program, from preschool to Grade 6. According to Melinda, the school’s nutrition coordinator, the program has made a visible impact. Students in the feeding program have shown improvement in their Body Mass Index and perform better in school.  

As Nutrition Month is celebrated this July, Rechel’s story shows how one mother’s care and one meal at a time can shape a child’s well-being. 

ChildFund Philippines and Convoy of Hope support school-based feeding programs because they believe no child should have to learn on an empty stomach. A simple, nutritious meal gives children the strength to focus, grow, and feel supported—inside and outside the classroom. For mothers like Rechel, it is more than just food. It is a chance to be part of something that nurtures a whole community.