Mary’s Meals – a simple solution to world hunger

School + Food = Hope
Mary’s Meals is a charity that runs school feeding programs in some of the world’s poorest communities, where poverty and hunger prevent children from getting an education. Instead of going to school, they work in fields, beg on street corners or dig through garbage to survive. A daily school meal is a strong incentive for these children to attend classes. Education can pave the way to a better future.
Mary’s Meals was founded in 2002 by Scotsman Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow and currently feeds 2,058,099 children in 20 countries on five continents.
The average cost of providing a child with food each school day is only €18.30 per school year.
We keep our running costs as low as possible to ensure that at least 93% of donations go directly to our charitable activities.

Nothing works without volunteers
Our work is largely based on volunteer commitment - here and on site. In the project countries, volunteers take care of the organization, cooking and serving the meals. In Malawi alone, our largest project country, where we reach over 30% of all primary school children, there are over 80,000 volunteers, mostly mothers and fathers of the children.
Only €18.30 feeds a child for an entire school year.
We believe that the children who receive Mary’s Meals today will grow up healthy and educated, and will one day help their communities overcome poverty so that they will no longer need aid. We call the generation of these children "Generation Hope".
Let’s Move for Meals, because 59 million children are still waiting for Mary’s Meals!
Register nowA simple idea that works!
School feeding has a life-changing impact on children
- Less hunger
- Improved health, more energy, happier children
- Increase in school enrolments
- Better performances
- Regular school attendance, higher rates of graduation
- Offering a school meal motivates all children to attend school. 50% of the children are girls.
Helping people to help themselves - Sustainable impact
- The communities in which Mary’s Meals work own and operate the projects
- The communities are involved in the projects from the beginning and can thus help change the future of their children
- Education is increasingly recognized as important by parents, they get more involved in school activities
- Wherever possible, the ingredients for the food are bought regionally from small farmers with a positive impact on the local economy
Frequently asked questions
This vision connects people all over the world. In many countries in Europe, Australia, the USA and Canada, volunteers help to raise awareness of Mary’s Meals and to collect donations.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, schools were closed in all project countries. The local staff quickly found safe ways to continue providing food for the children.
Mary’s Meals Ireland was incorporated in 2006 and registered as a charity in 2005.