Post by 17 Triggers

In Lao PDR, before a single nutritious lunch reaches a child, a complex chain of human decisions has to happen: School lunch committees must plan and monitor meals. Caregivers need to contribute fresh ingredients. Teachers have to prepare balanced menus while reinforcing healthy habits in the classroom. Cooks need to substitute nutritious ingredients when others aren't available. And children must ultimately choose those nutritious foods over cheap, unhealthy snacks. Five behaviors, all before a single bite is taken. When any single one of these doesn’t happen, it's the children who get affected . 1 in 4 Laotian children may never reach their full potential due to malnutrition. In these communities, a school lunch isn't just a nice addition , for many children it’s the reason they go to school. It’s their most nutritious meal of the day, and sometimes, their only. In partnership with World Food Programme Laos and the Ministries of Health and Education, Youth and Sports (MoHEYS), 17 Triggers is supporting the design of a dedicated Social and Behaviour Change strategy for school feeding. To launch the project, relevant ministries, civil society partners, and WFP joined our Vision of Perfect workshop in Vientiane to align on what a truly nutritious, well-managed school meal looks like, and to identify pain points in the current system. The strategy is still being developed. But one thing is already clear: a nutritious school meal doesn't start in the kitchen. It starts in a room like this one, and travels through every decision in that chain before it ever reaches a child. Thanks to WFP Laos team: Juan Antonio Bazán Martínez, Pantavanh Keobolith, Tukta Sonesaksith, Elliott Grantz And to 17 Triggers team: Linh Nghiem, Micheal McKay, MBA, Alexandrine Roland, Sharleen Hollick, Imara Roychowdhury, Vannaphone Sitthirath, Nouandam (Lar) Kommana, Phakhinda Khanthavilay _ #Laos #WFP #SchoolFeeding #BehaviourChange #SocialImpact #17Triggers #NutritionForChildren