Minister Raïssa Malu draws inspiration from the Brazilian model for improved school nutrition in the DRC

Raïssa Malu, Minister of State for National Education and New Citizenship (EDU-NC) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), met on Saturday, September 20, 2025, with Daniel Baladan, director of the Center of Excellence Against Hunger, based in Brazil. During these discussions on the sidelines of the 2nd Global School Feeding Summit, Raïssa Malu received detailed information on the Brazilian model of school cafeterias, which is locally funded and child-centered, integrating agriculture, nutrition, education, and social inclusion. The goal is to offer concrete strategies to strengthen the National School Feeding Program in the DRC. The DRC government, through the Ministry of Education, has committed to implementing a school cafeteria policy which, as the President of the Republic emphasized during a cabinet meeting on October 20, 2023, can improve students’ concentration and academic success as part of educational reforms. This reform aligns with the fourth principle of the Ministry of Education’s five-year plan, which promotes equity and inclusion, particularly through the creation of a safe, inclusive, and welcoming educational environment for all students, regardless of their gender, social background, geographic location, or physical and intellectual abilities. Consequently, the Ministry of ÉDU-NC has a school feeding strategy, approved on July 26, 2025, by the Ministry and its partners, which directly impacts students’ educational success and health, notably by strengthening school infrastructure and supporting local agricultural production. Bruno Nsaka