Child malnutrition in Sri Lanka, which was on a steady decline, rose significantly in 2022 as the country plunged into its worst ever socio-economic crisis. As the crisis deepened the poverty rate doubled and was projected to rise further. As the economic crisis deepened the poverty rate doubled to 25 percent and was projected to rise further. As a result, more than 17 percent of the population were reported to be moderately or acutely food insecure and in need of humanitarian assistance, whilst 31 percent of children under the age of 5 were reported to be suffering from malnourishment*.
Nutrition among schoolchildren has a direct and significant impact on their wellbeing, growth and development. Several international agencies flagged the situation as having the potential to cause both mental and physiological developmental issues among children, if left unchecked. This in turn affects their academic performance leading to poor attendance which ultimately hampers their primary education. Moreover, providing a nutritious meal for children encourages parents to send them to school, thereby ensuring uninterrupted access to education.
A healthy and thriving future generation is the greatest asset of a Nation. As the leading partner in Nation-building, Tokyo Cement responded earnestly to solve this pressing need with a tangible solution. In response, Tokyo Cement Group initiated the Nourishing the Future Schoolchildren’s Nutrition Upliftment Programme, which provides children from low-income families in selected schools, a nourishing and well-balanced mid-day meal, every day, throughout the academic year.
The project was inspired by our Founder Chairman, Deshamanya A.Y.S. Gnanam, who for decades personally funded mid-day meals in selected schools across remote areas of the country. Recognizing the vital role a nutritious meal plays in encouraging school attendance, he sought to support children’s access to education. Witnessing the positive impact this initiative had on keeping children from low-income families in school, Tokyo Cement Group expanded the programme in 2022, reaffirming its commitment to making a meaningful and lasting difference.
Launched in four schools in Siyambalanduwa, within the Monaragala District, the Nourishing the Future programme expanded by the end of 2025 to support over 1,317 schoolchildren across 11 schools in remote rural areas of Monaragala, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, and Kilinochchi Districts, significantly enhancing their well-being and access to education.
The programme engages all stakeholder groups of the school community that includes the principal and teachers, parents, Government officials from the Ministry of Education, and the area Public Health Inspector (PHI) assigned by the local Ministry of Health (MOH) Office.
Under the guidance of the local MOH Office daily meal plans are set by the PHI of the area to include all main food groups consisting of greens, proteins, pulses, fresh dairy product, and some fruit, to boost and supplement the children’s nutritional needs. Making it a self-sustaining community project with a far-reaching human impact, almost all food supplies are sourced from the locale to ensure consistency and sustainability of the project, whilst garnering voluntary support from parent groups to prepare the daily meals with care and diligence.
Going a step further, Tokyo Cement Group also supplied the basic utensils and amenities to standardize each school kitchen to operate under optimal hygienic conditions. Coordinating with the respective Zonal Educational Directors, the project is supervised by the school principal, teachers, and parents of each school development society.
The PHI supervises the program through regular visits to ensure nutritional and health guidelines are maintained during meal preparation. Tokyo Cement has implemented a robust reporting and monitoring mechanism to ensure that children consistently receive a wholesome meal, enabling them to steadily reach their developmental milestones which further supports project sustainability.
It is both humbling and encouraging to notice a significant increase in daily school attendance and student admissions to Grade 1 in all the schools where the Nourishing the Future project is in operation. All the schools have reported a marked improvement in academic performance, whilst maintaining a higher percentage of student retention, which translates to more children completing their primary education careers, inspiring the programme to achieve its far-reaching objectives.
