(Wednesday July 20, 2016 Issue)
The
whooping sum of D500, 000 given by the First Lady of the nation to support
school feeding, especially to schools of children with learning difficulties,
speaks volumes of her love and keen interest in children.
Although
reports have indicated that such a support will be annually carried out by the
First lady, all those who have the means in this country have been urged to
emulate her by supporting the school feeding programme in the country.
School
feeding, as rightly stated by the World Food Programme representative, is one
of the ways that contribute to nation-building, as it ensures that children are
kept in school and help in getting “the foundation of behaviour that are
conducive for education and development both physically and mentally”.
This
is very true, more so that sustainable school feeding programme contributes to
keeping children healthy and in school, which greatly helps in their academic
growth.
“The
foundation of any nation depends on education,” the WFP representative says,
giving the sense that education and healthy diet complement each other.
Furthermore,
what makes the helping hand of the first lady more resounding is the fact that
this time around she decided to focus again on children with learning
difficulties in schools and centres such as Gambia Organization for Visually
Impaired (GOVI), St. John’s School for the Deaf and Methodist School for
Learning Difficulties.
This
noble act is indeed commendable. And to keep the good example she has set
trending, other people in our society - whether the affluent, the wealthy, the
generous or the lay man – should come in one way or the other to assist in
feeding our children in school, the future of our society and nation.
Dalai
Lama once said: “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you
can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.” So let us continue to help one
another, especially our young ones.
“The
purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help
others. ”
Albert
Schweitzer
