On 25 september, Luiss university hosted Magnus Mc-Farden, the founder of Mary’s Meals. But the question is: What is Mary’s Meals? Well, Mary’s Meals is a no-profit organization which provides many good meals for children in 13 countries worldwide. Magnus Mc-Farden started this project in 2002, after ten years spent with his own previous foundation: “Scottish International Relief”. Magnus started helping in 1992 in Bosnia, where war was broken out, making a lot of deads and starving the population. Previously, he was a fisherman in a small village in Scotland. However, after discussing “over a pint of beer” with his brother, he decided to launch a charity project to help people in Bosnia with first-necessity stuff, such as food, clothes, medicines and so on. His campaign collected a lot of things from local residents and he began to drive with his truck toward Bosnia from Scotland, carrying with him many goods as possible. Other similar projects were carried out by Magnus in following years, but the most brillant idea is surely Mary’s meals.
The most urgent problems in undeveloped countries are mainly two: lack of food and of education. In order to resolve both issues, Magnus came up with the idea to deliver meals, in poorest country, in front of schools. The two problems are very related one with each other. Many children can’t go to school because they have to get some food, somehow. So, instead of going to the closest school, they spend time working or seeking some food or water left somewhere. Through this formula, children can go to school knowing that they’ll find a good meal at the beginning or at the end of the lesson. According to Mary’s Meals, this formula has improved also the performance of children at school. Children are phisically and psicologically better after a good meal. An other fundamental feature of Mary’s meals project is buying food only from local producers. This system is very powerful to help farmers in these poor zones and it is useful to get better all the economic system. The first country, where Mary’s Meals began, was Malawi. This African nation was devastated from endless civil wars, which starved a lot of people. In 2002, In this country were helped the first 200 children. This little number has increased exponentially during the years: right now, Mary’s meals is present in 13 countries (Malawi, Liberia, South Sudan, Thailand, Uganda, Zambia, Benin, Myanamar, Ecuador, Haiti, India, Kenya, Lebanon) delivering 1.2 millions meals everyday. This project is possible only through donations. According to the last one financial report, they represent the 81 of incomes, which are more than 15 million. So, to raise the number of children feeded by Mary’s Meals, is strictly important the amount of donations, made by private citizen, organizations and governaments. In spite of the constant help of organizations like Mary’s Meals and other international organization, such as FAO and UNICEF, the number of children who is hungry and without basic education is very high. Over 60 million children don’t eat enough and over 80 million miss primary school owing to wars, lack of food and water and epidemics. The gap between developed countries and undeveloped countries is widening. That’s very dangerous because it causes problems as massive immigration.
It’s absurd that, to feed one single child, for one year, only 12£ are necessary. That’s what we spend for some beer with friends on Saturday night! It would be a great solution if, for instance, european Union decided to give millions to this kind of organizations, rather than financing border countries such as Turkey in order to limit massive immigration. Avoiding many intermediaries is safer, in order to help people who need. For example, Mary’s Meals spends 93% of incomes directly in the places where it works. Only 7% is spent for bureaucracy, marketing and other expenses and that’s absolutely good for an efficient and wide service. If you want to watch what Mary’s meals really does, I recommend you to watch the documentary film “Generation Hope” presented in the last Festival of Cannes. It’s necessary only a little help to make a big change.
A cura di Eugenio Baldo
