Day 13: Cooking for 1500 children!
At the São Vicente de Paulo School, where more than 1,500 children depend on the School Feeding programme every day, each meal is a moment of organisation, care and, above all, love.
Preparation starts early. In the kitchen, comforting smells fill the air while dedicated cooks Anabela Lindo, Providência Chongo and Inocência Mazivila, with the help of assistant Deolinda Mabessa, work hard to ensure that no child is left without a nutritious meal. The carefully planned menu combines staple foods, proteins and essential nutrients to promote healthy growth and the energy needed for study and play.
Lunch is served in two shifts: at 11am for morning shift children and at 2pm for afternoon shift pupils. To ensure that everything runs smoothly, the organisation is impeccable. The children are called up by class, starting with the youngest to the oldest, making it easier to deliver the dishes.
In this process, technicians Pedro Arão and Miliona Macaringue, under the coordination of “mano” Jaime and with the support of the interim Sisters of Charity, ensure that all the children are served quickly and efficiently. The teamwork is visible: from filling the plates to the smile that accompanies each meal served.
This programme goes far beyond food. It’s a demonstration of commitment and care on the part of the entire school community. For many children, these meals are the main source of daily nutrition, an essential pillar for their well-being and school performance.
The kitchen at São Vicente de Paulo is not just a place where meals are prepared; it is a place of unity, where gestures of dedication transform lives and sustain dreams.
Each dish served carries with it the effort of many and the desire that each child may grow up healthy and full of hope.