Search
  1. Home
  2. Southern Africa
  3. Malawi

Satellite transmitters monitor school feeding

    JOHANNESBURG
    The World Food Programme (WFP) in Malawi will monitor the progress of its school feeding programmes in 12 pilot sites via satellite. Twelve satellite transmitters have been installed in schools in the central Dedza district to ensure the faster collection of data and act as an early warning system, especially during the rainy season and in remote areas, Giles Enticknap, WFP programme assistant for school feeding in Malawi, told IRIN on Wednesday. "It would provide information on where (food) deliveries have been made and monitor the distribution of commodities for forward planning," he explained. The devices, which operate on five-year batteries, are installed in protective boxes and operated by teachers. They contain a monitor with prompts to enter information like enrolment figures and ration sizes on the keypad. The information is relayed to a global satellite network and then downloaded via a private company in France to a WFP website for analysis by staffers. The system is currently being used in countries in South America and Asia, as well as in Sudan where it takes 15 hours for field workers to reach some schools. Plans are afoot to install up to 75 of the devices. Malawi's school feeding programmes, considered an important factor particularly in keeping girls in school, currently reach about 160,000 children in eight districts.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

    Share this article

    Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

    We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

    Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

    Become a member of The New Humanitarian

    Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

    Join