​Plan International Cameroon, in partnership with Plan International Canada and the World Food Programme – WFP, have officially launched the Home Grown School Feeding – HGSF program to combat student absenteeism and malnutrition in Cameroon’s Adamawa, East, and Center regions.

Financed with an overall budget of 95,739,804 CFA francs, this vital humanitarian initiative targets 17 municipalities, 49 schools, and 24,149 young beneficiaries. By establishing school canteens that serve safe, nutritious midday meals, the project ensures that vulnerable pupils have the energy and health required to succeed in their basic education.

​The project’s strategic implementation in the Center region was spotlighted during a high-profile coordination meeting held on May 25, 2026, at the Soa city council hall by Melingui Justine, Nutrition Specialist at Plan International Cameroon. Presided over by Bindzi Cyrise, Secretary General of the Soa Council and representative of the mayor, the gathering united key education, nutrition, and regional authorities to ensure a secure roll-out.

In the Soa municipality, the initiative will directly transform four local schools: Akak Primary Schools 1 A and B, Ebang Primary School, and Ebogo 1 Primary School, running through December 2026.
​From a humanitarian perspective, the HGSF program serves as a critical lifeline for highly vulnerable children, particularly Internally Displaced Persons – IDPs and young girls. Quinter Fienyoh, Headteacher of Government English Nursery School Ebang 1, emphasized that many displaced children frequently miss classes due to lack of food, facing stigma and embarrassment. By guaranteeing daily hot meals, the project removes these financial and social barriers, easing the economic burden on displaced families, driving enrollment in the Anglophone subsystem, and advancing the global goal of “education for all.”

​To guarantee long-term operational success and self-reliance, the project relies heavily on active community ownership and multi-sectoral collaboration. School Management Committees – COGES, traditional rulers, and parents—including “Cook Moms”—are tasked with managing the canteens, preparing meals, and maintaining essential infrastructure like kitchens and water points. This grassroots approach ensures total transparency, effective resource monitoring, and a sustainable framework that will outlive the initial funding timeline.

​Simultaneously, the project drives local socio-economic development through an innovative local food sourcing model. By purchasing food commodities directly from community smallholders and local agricultural cooperatives, the initiative creates sustainable markets and strengthens regional agricultural value chains.

This strategic link protects small-scale producers from market fluctuations, boosts household economic resilience, and champions the financial empowerment of women who dominate the local agricultural labor force.

​Further enriching the project’s nutritional impact is the integration of school gardens and livestock partnerships. These gardens function as living classrooms, teaching young children modern agricultural techniques and fostering a passion for farming from an early age.

Complementing this, Kang Richard, the Soa Delegate for the Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries – MINEPIA, pledged the ministry’s readiness to supply essential animal proteins such as poultry, eggs, fish, and meat, creating a dependable distribution channel for local animal farmers.

​Ultimately, the successful execution of the HGSF project hinges on a robust network of regional institutional partners. Under the supervision of local mayors, divisional officers, and regional directorates spanning public health, agriculture, and basic education, the project incorporates a rigorous Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning – MEAL mechanism.

Through daily monitoring, weekly quality controls, and integrated municipal budgets, Cameroon is building a replicable, multi-sectoral blueprint that harmonizes immediate humanitarian relief with long-term economic development.