Riya Mala 
[Photo: File]
Some children are missing school because their families cannot afford basic needs, including lunch, highlighting how poverty is affecting their education.
FENC-Fiji National Executive Coordinator Priti Lata says the foundation recently came across a child who was missing school because their single father struggled to prepare lunch for the family.
Lata says the school was some distance away, making it even harder for the family to manage the child’s daily needs.
She adds that the foundation is now looking at possible ways to help families facing similar challenges, including providing food supplies to schools if school heads agree.
“We are providing school backpacks to every kid selected in this process. That includes all books and stationeries. If they are starting Year 9, they will get the calculators as well with that. So, we are doing part of it and the parents can do part of it, which includes uniform and shoes. In extreme levels, in certain cases, we will assess the family and then we will decide if we will be able to help them with uniforms and shoes.”
Lata adds that FENC-Fiji currently supports 6,800 children across the country, with the number of children needing assistance increasing from about 3,000 a few years ago.
The foundation prioritizes children from low-income families, single-parent households, families with unemployed or sick parents, grandparents caring for children and children with disabilities.
Applications for the 2027 School Education Support programme are open until October 30, with FENC-Fiji aiming to assist between 6,800 and 7,000 children next year.
