Our organization supports April Dream, an initiative to make April 1st a day to share dreams. This press release represents the dream of "NPO Seibo Japan."

We want to create a society where children in Malawi can sit in classrooms with "hope" rather than hunger. The year 2026 will be the year we evolve that hope into a sustainable system.

Beyond 3.4 Million Meals — Aiming to Establish a "Self-Reliant School Meal Model" in Malawi

NPO Seibo: Moving Towards a Sustainable Model that Simultaneously Generates Nutrition, Education, and Employment in 2026

The Republic of Malawi, located in southeastern Africa, is one of the countries with the highest poverty rates in the world. Despite primary education being free, many children miss school or drop out due to hunger and malnutrition. It is reported that approximately 36% of children under the age of five suffer from stunted growth, and malnutrition significantly impacts their future academic performance and employment opportunities.

NPO Seibo has been tackling this issue through the provision of "school meals." In 2025, we provided 3,358,613 meals annually to approximately 20,000 children across 55 schools in Malawi.

Through the provision of school meals, the attendance rate reached an annual average of 96%, and educational achievements have emerged, such as significant improvements in the pass rates for promotion exams at some schools. The meals are not just a bowl of porridge; they have become a "reason" for children to continue attending school.

In 2026, Seibo will take a further step forward. We will fully operate "Seibo Mills," a school meal ingredient factory currently under construction in Malawi, and establish a system to produce ingredients locally. This will significantly reduce the cost of purchasing ingredients (expected to be reduced by up to 80%) and build a mechanism to generate operational funds by selling the surplus.

This marks a transition to a "self-reliant school meal model" that does not depend solely on donations. It will also lead to the creation of local employment, simultaneously achieving educational support and the revitalization of the local economy.

On the other hand, the business environment is by no means easy. The global rise in coffee prices and the increase in exchange rates and transportation costs are also affecting the sales of products that support our relief efforts.

Our goals for 2026 are to provide 3.8 million meals annually, expand our support to 22,000 children, and achieve further self-reliance in local operational costs. Delivering school meals leads not only to improved nutrition but also to higher school attendance rates, enhanced academic performance, and expanded future income opportunities. Ultimately, this is an initiative aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty.

Specific Outcomes Generated by School Meals

In 2025, Seibo provided school meals to approximately 20,000 children at 55 schools across Malawi. As a result, the following outcomes have been confirmed:

*Detailed activity report for 2025: https://www.seibojapan.or.jp/annual-report-for-2025/

[Initial Outcomes (Short-term)] - Improvement in nutritional status - Average attendance rate of 96% - Achieved an attendance rate of over 90% for 8 out of 10 months of the year

[Mid-term Outcomes (Educational Aspect)] - Increased learning participation rate corresponding to higher attendance - Improvement in the pass rate for promotion exams from 50% to 90% in some schools - Enhanced psychological and economic sense of security for parents/guardians

Long-term Impact on Social Structure

Seibo's long-term vision for school meals outlines the following logic:

Nutritional Improvement → Increased School Attendance → Enhanced Academic Performance → Expanded Career Options → Breaking the Cycle of Poverty → Improvement of the Country's Overall Education Level → Sustainable Economic Growth

School meals are an investment in the human resources that will carry the nation's future, serving as the foundation for human capital formation.

Japan's Next Generation Supporting the Future of Malawi's Human Capital

In Japan, we connected with approximately 50 educational institutions in 2025 and have been expanding our activities.

High school and university students in Japan have been involved in our activities by learning about the specific effects of school meals and the future potential of Africa, and by experiencing the social businesses run by Seibo, which utilize Malawian coffee, tea, and other products.

Moving forward, we will also launch on-demand courses so that many more schools can get involved through classes and extracurricular activities, further promoting initiatives that connect Japan's next generation with the future of Africa through Malawi.

*Details of On-Demand Courses

https://www.seibojapan.or.jp/moodle-moot-japan-2026/

*Network with Educational Institutions up to FY2025

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1Zq39YF_gSAtFbgt4PG8fWURyz_KsI4E&ll=33.87713270229857%2C134.5216891&z=5

Journey with Supporting Companies

Since February 2021, Table Cross Inc. has continued to support Seibo's school meal initiatives. They have provided donations that lead to school meal support in Malawi from the sales of their service, ByFood.com, successfully connecting Japan's food culture with school meals in Malawi.

We hope to reach out to many more people who would like to get involved in our SDGs initiatives under the keywords of food, education, and children, making this a year where we can collectively make an impact in Malawi.

*Proposals for Companies https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IlMJ8YiXd4DYhJEL36_AUmx85zVb6E8W/view

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  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: News