Sending them to school is often out of the question. We know the stress these families endure on daily basis, and that is why all of our programs support the fundamental goal of ending chronic hunger and resolving food insecurity for the long-term.

In the interim, HRI’s School Scholarships & Feeding Programs improve health, school enrollment, attendance, academic performance and gender equity. We ensure children receive the basic nutrition they need to learn, grow and thrive.

Our nutrition specific interventions involve a multi-phased approach that starts with immediate provision of food and nutritional training and gradually moves towards increased home and local food production. This approach involves every level of the community – leadership, teachers, parents and children, as well as our own staff, partners and external experts. On a daily basis, households, communities, orphanages, and schools take responsibility for maintaining and executing meal programs.

At HRI, we believe that keeping children in school and actively engaging parents plays a vital role in reducing migration—both now and in the future. Education opens doors to local opportunities, empowering families to build stable, thriving lives within their own communities.

CURRENT SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMS:

HRI serves 120 students and their families in three schools in Cuilapa, which is located in the Santa Rosa Department in southern Guatemala.

Since launching HRI's program, one school saw a 62% growth in attendance and maintains a 94% attendance rate!

In northern Guatemala, HRI recently concluded a grant in collaboration with RTI and USAID. This program ensured 700 children in San Marcos remained in school by providing school supplies, nutritional support, hygiene kits, and parent training. HRI is actively seeking new partners in 2025 to continue this project for at least 167 students in the 6th grade.