ONE CUP OF MILK PER CHILD PROGRAM
The Government of Rwanda through Vision 2020 and its EDPRS II aims at developing a knowledge-based and technology-led economy. It is in this context that Rwanda has planned to achieve education for all and improved health status of the population as key targets in the Millennium Development Goals. For children to develop their full potential through full participation in educational activities and acquire knowledge and skills to grow into productive citizens who will lead their country to wealth and prosperity, it is important to ensure that all children enjoy a healthy, safe and protected childhood.
One Cup of Milk per Child Program
1. General Introduction
Rwanda Agriculture Board started One Cup of Milk per Child Program in May 2010 as an implementation of the outcomes of the IDP (Integrated Development Program) meeting held at MINALOC on 23/04/2010, the resolution that authorized MINAGRI to start the implementation of “One Cup of Milk per Child Program”. At first, the program started being piloted in 6 Districts of Bugesera, Kamonyi, Nyanza, Karongi, Gakenke and Ngororero districts . After a trial period of one year and half that showed that it is possible to run a school milk program in our country, the scaling up was approved in the meeting chaired by Right Honourable Prime Minister on 22/07/2011 and started being implemented in October 2011.
In the upsaid meeting, MINAGRI was recommended to scale up the program to other Districts and Schools and to increase the number of children beneficiaries from 21,300 to 100,000. MINEDUC and MINISANTE was also requested to assist to identify the needy Districts and Schools. After different concertration meetings of the three concerned Ministries plus MINALOC, eight (8) new Districts of Nyamagabe, Nyaruguru, Gisagara, Huye, Nyamasheke, Rubavu, Rutsiro, Ngoma and Ngororero was retained to enter in the scaling up of the program. Ngororero District was in the pilot phase with 5 schools and 5 new schools were retained in the scaling up of the program.A part from the new districts which were scaled up to be in the program,some other new schools from existing Districts were also added by the year 2013 and among them six schools were from Nyanza, two from Ruhango and four new schools from Gisagara. Currently, the program is being implemented in 112 schools from fifteen Districts and eight three thousand and five hundred and seventh five (83,575) pupils are on the program.
The selection criteria of those Districts was based on the 2010 report on malnutrition status in our Country especially among children. The number of schools retained by District was also based on the malnutrition rate in each District as the priority is given to the neediest as compared to the allocated budget.
The pupils are given milk of standard quality from Rwandan recognized dairies namely INYANGE INDUSTRIES and AGRO PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (API) and they take half liter twice a week which makes whole liter per week.
2. Vision
A healthy, enlightened and developed nation
3. Mission
- To ensure the improvement of the general health barriers to learning in order to improve education outcomes
- Strengthen the brain capacity of school going children
- Retention within school, no dropout
4. Objectives
The General Objective of One cup of Milk per Child Program is to address the current problem of Malnutrition among children in Rwanda and to lay a foundation of milk and dairy products’ consumption habit and stimulate the development of the Dairy sector in Rwanda.
The specific objectives are to provide milk to school going children in order to:
i) Improve their nutrition status
ii) Improve on their brain capacity development,
iii) Hunger elimination
iv) Habit of consuming milk at the earlier age of the child
v) Reduce post harvest losses by Developing dairy sector industries
5. Implementation modalities
Supplying Dairies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with RAB which states the terms of supplying milk to schools and payments.
Each school has a School Teacher as the Focal Point (FC) of the program who follows the program activities every day.
There is a Reception team: Teacher FP, School Head Teacher, RAB & Dairy Representatives, who receives milk and sign on the dairy delivery note.
Drinking time:
09.40 a.m.: for children who study in the morning
03.00 p.m.: for children who study in the afternoon
12.00: for morning & evening children where school milk & school feeding program are combined (e.g. Nyaruguru, etc…)
• The milk is being supplied by two dairies: Inyange Industries and Agro Processing Industries (API) by using purchase order. Those schools that are supplied by Inyange Industries, they receive UHT milk and they do a small stock of a period of two weeks at schools; but for those who are supplied by API they receive fermented milk from the factory on a daily basis.
Illustrating Photos
