Twelve-year-old Tanaka is one of over 3 million children now receiving daily meals through Mary’s Meals, thanks to a recent expansion that brought school feeding to every pupil at her school in Zimbabwe.

Mary’s Meals expanded in Zimbabwe in early 2025, reaching 68,000 more children. As we mark 3 million fed globally, Communications Director Felicity Read reflects on the programme’s impact in remote areas.

Mary’s Meals began more than 20 years ago with the vision that every child in the world receives one daily meal in their place of education. Today, we are reaching more than 3 million children and with every meal there is hope of a better future.

Read a powerful message from Magnus as we mark the milestone of serving over 3 million children a nutritious meal in their place of education, every school day.

The mission of Mary’s Meals is to ensure that every child in the world gets at least one meal a day in a place of education. Step by Step to Feed a Child is a sponsored walk from many parts of Ireland to Knock Shrine to help raise funds for and awareness of Mary’s Meals.

The promise of providing daily school meals encourages children into the classroom, giving them the opportunity to receive an education and the hope of a brighter future.

World Hunger Day was established in 2011 to call attention to the global food crisis and inspire action that could help create a world without hunger. So, as we approach this annual marker, how well are we progressing towards that collective goal?

22-year-old Irish student Emma Hussey walks over 100km from Dubrovnik to Medjugorje, raising over €4,300 to feed vulnerable children.