La BAD s'attaque à la faim des enfants d'âge scolaire en Afrique

Samedi 29 mars 2025

by inAfrika Reporter,

In a landmark move aimed at eradicating hunger and malnutrition among school-age children across Africa, the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved the establishment of a $50 million fund known as the End School-Age Hunger Fund (ESAH).

Approved on March 20, the ESAH Fund is set to bolster and expand school meal programs in targeted African countries, ensuring more children receive nutritious meals while attending school. Beyond feeding children, the initiative aims to stimulate rural economies by supporting agricultural productivity and empowering local businesses within the food value chain.

Administered in collaboration with the African Development Fund — AfDB’s concessional lending window — the ESAH Fund has already received a major boost from the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF). CIFF has signed a $50 million letter of commitment to initiate the Fund and has pledged to match the Bank’s contribution with an additional $50 million upon its disbursement.

The announcement follows a letter of intent signed in September 2024 between CIFF and the Bank, in the presence of His Majesty King Letsie III of Lesotho, who also serves as the African Union Nutrition Champion and African Leaders for Nutrition Champion. CIFF’s strong commitment reflects its broader objective of leveraging more donor support for the Fund, with plans underway to engage other philanthropic entities such as the Aliko Dangote Foundation.

“The End School-Age Hunger Fund will work to secure a five-year commitment from the targeted countries, which is the standard implementation period for the Bank’s investment projects,” stated Dr. Beth Dunford, AfDB Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development. “This timeline ensures enough runway to build proof of concept, enabling the continuation and scaling of initiatives even after the initial funding period ends.”

The ESAH Fund will directly support school meal programs across Africa, ensuring children not only stay in school but also thrive academically. The initiative will also promote the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that provide goods and services to the school feeding ecosystem. Furthermore, the Fund is expected to offer technical assistance to governments to help institutionalize and prioritize school nutrition as a key policy lever for socio-economic development.

CIFF, the world’s largest philanthropic organization dedicated to improving children’s lives, has contributed over $2.4 billion since its inception in 2004. With an endowment valued at $6 billion as of 2020, CIFF’s backing offers a robust platform for catalyzing sustainable impact through strategic partnerships.

By linking child nutrition with economic development, the ESAH Fund presents a promising, scalable model for addressing two of Africa’s most pressing challenges — food insecurity and educational inequality — with one comprehensive solution.