DR Congo: 74,731 children fed at school, but millions still waiting
With more than 29 million students enrolled in the Democratic Republic of Congo for the 2025-2026 school year, the challenges of hunger and access to education remain immense. Faced with this reality, World Vision is stepping up its efforts in school feeding. But needs are skyrocketing, and the call for help is urgent.
At Tchabilwa Primary School in Kalemie, Tanganyika Province, the playground echoes with children's joyful cries. It's just after noon, and 11-year-old Valence is smiling from ear to ear. “Hi, my name is Valence,” she says right away. Behind her, her classmates are bustling about.
“Today we learned about health and the environment, and we just shared a meal, so we're full,” she explains.
Next to her is Jean, the same age, at the same school, with the same appetite for learning.
“I like learning geography because we learn a lot about our country in this class. I know that the capital of my country is Kinshasa and that our country covers an area of 2,345,310 km²,” he says proudly.
But for Jean, too, sharing a meal is a precious moment.
“I also like playing with my friends, not to mention sharing a meal: when we're full, we're really happy,” he says before concluding shyly, “Thank you very much, bye.”
74,731 children fed, but thousands more waiting
Behind these moments of ordinary life lies a daily struggle. That of thousands of Congolese children for whom a meal at school is not a given, but a promise of a better tomorrow. During the 2025 fiscal year, World Vision reached 74,731 children through its school feeding program in KASAI and TANGANYIKA.
This is a significant number, but still far from covering the immense needs. In Kasai, the impact of school canteens is already being felt. In January 2026, enrollment in the 20 schools and 4 remedial education centers supported by World Vision rose to 7,244 students (49.8% of whom were girls), compared to 3,373 in December 2025. This remarkable increase speaks volumes about the appeal of hot meals.
But the figures also reveal persistent weaknesses: the monthly attendance rate is a meager 72%, while 25% of those enrolled regularly miss classes. Worse still, 222 children have already dropped out of school, mainly at the elementary level. This represents a dropout rate of 3%.
“When we are full, we are super happy.”
What the data does not reveal are the empty stomachs struggling to keep up with lessons, the journeys under the sun on an empty stomach, or the shortened days due to lack of energy. What the statistics do not show is the look in Jean's eyes when he talks about that moment when “we are super happy.”
World Vision's plea is clear: more is needed. More resources, more partnerships, more canteens. Because a meal at school means a child staying in class, a girl who won't go begging, a boy who will learn to easily locate DRC provinces on a map. This is one of the pillars of the ENOUGH campaign to end child hunger and malnutrition.
The call has been made. While the DRC now has more than 29 million students, current programs reach only a tiny fraction of these young people. Yet in TCHABILWA, as elsewhere, every morning Valence and Jean wait for the promise of a meal to help them build their future.