Final: The Global Food for Education Initiative was successfully implemented in 139 schools, covering a diverse area and distributing approximately 10 million packets of high-energy biscuits, which benefited over 55,000 children. The program encompassed five of Eritrea’s ethnic and language groups, both Muslim and Christian areas, an urban/semi-urban to rural spectrum, five of six administrative zones, and both war-affected and drought-affected zones. Chronic calorie deficiency exists in these areas, and children do not have regular access to enough food. Schools do not have the resources to provide lunches, and families rarely have the resources to send food with their children. The distribution of high-energy biscuits for school feeding, which served 56,493 students, has resulted in a reduction in dropouts by over 40% in most areas.

Currently there are two Eritrean factories producing high-energy biscuits for Mercy Corps’ program. The factory has increased their workforce sevenfold to 290 individuals, primarily women. In addition, the program supports additional employment because the cardboard boxes used to package the biscuits are also produced in Eritrea. Furthermore, Mercy Corps brought in private funds to support essential school water projects and in-depth PTA development and community mobilization strategies, along with drought relief funding.

The Eritrean Ministry of Education took the lead in coordinating and integrating different parts of the program. The most visible manifestation of this approach was the appointment of a School Feeding Project Officer within the MoE who monitored project activities. In addition, a PTA Developer and a Girls’ Education Specialist were appointed. Later, Project Officers were appointed in each zone in which Mercy Corps worked.

Midterm: The school-feeding component of the program started in March 2002 for about 35,000 students in 150 schools. Mercy Corps (MC) now projects that the project will reach up 65,000 students in as many as 180 schools nationwide. This change in number of beneficiaries is due to conservative original projections. Reports from USDA and MC monitors indicate that student attendance, enrollment, and performance have increased since the biscuits were introduced. A total of 9,330 metric tons of soft white wheat and 8,100 tons of vegetable oil were monetized. Additionally, MC is providing small grants for parent-teacher associations (PTA’s) and has placed a special emphasis on girls. MC is now preparing training materials for the girls’ education component of the Global Food for Education (GFE) program. The MC GFE project in Eritrea is scheduled to continue through March 2003.

Final: A prolonged drought seriously affected agricultural and livestock production in Eritrea in 2003 threatening the lives of more than a million people, according to Vision Eritrea, a local NGO based in Asmara. Due to pervasive poverty, all of Eritrea is susceptible to food insecurity. However, the drought–prone regions of the Northern Red Sea, the Southern Red Sea and many parts of Anseba are particularly vulnerable. According to World Food Program (WFP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), emergency support to crop and livestock production is also urgently needed to revive production capacity for next year. This support should include the distribution of seeds for cereal production, the provision of supplementary feed and vaccines for cattle to cover for possible outbreaks of stress-induced diseases, with training for vaccinators.

Midterm: Eritrea is undergoing a critical transition. After a 30-year struggle to gain independence from Ethiopia, Eritrea was on its way toward development as a strong and independent nation. However, over the past few years, Eritrea has experienced a series of economic and political setbacks as a result of severe drought and renewed fighting with Ethiopia. The multi-year drought that affected the entire Horn of Africa affected over 400,000 Eritreans, more than 10 % of the population. During this time, a border war erupted between Ethiopia and Eritrea, causing widespread infrastructure and property damage in southern Eritrea. At its height, between one-third and one-half of the civilian population was displaced in Eritrea. With assistance from the United Nations, the two countries are implementing a peace agreement signed in December 2000.

Eritrea consistently ranks 148 out of 162 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index in terms of quality of life issues such as access to health care, education, and economic opportunity. A significant number of students in rural areas attend school under a tree, without access to a classroom. The illiteracy rate is 32.7 % for adult males and 55.5 % for adult females. The net primary school enrollment rate is 30.4 %.

If girls are able to attend school at all, many do not finish primary school because of early marriage or the need by their families for their help at home. The USDA local monitor reported that girls are often viewed as members of the community who do not necessarily need access to education. The cultural expectation is that the men in their lives will provide for their needs. Also, according to the monitor, girls carry a much heavier burden in the home and are expected to take care of the children, cook meals, and gather firewood and water. When a family decides which children will go to school, more often than not, the boys in the family are selected, particularly if the parents are required to pay school fees. Meeting the educational needs of girls is an ongoing challenge.

As a result of an assessment conducted by MC examining development needs and food insecurity, the zones of Anseba, Garsh Barka, Maekel, and Northern Red Sea were identified as target areas for the school-feeding program.

The donated commodities, 9,330 metric tons of soft white wheat and 8,100 tons of vegetable oil, were monetized. Because the buyer took possession of the commodities at the port, MC did not utilize inland transportation systems in the country.

Final: Education is a priority in Eritrea and school feeding has become an essential part of national planning at the highest levels. In 1991, Eritrea had 214 schools. There are now over 700. As the Eritrean Ministry of Education (MoE) struggles to stretch its budget to keep pace with basic needs, additional resources available to education from sources such as USDA, through Mercy Corps, are invaluable for important complementary programs. The distribution of high-energy biscuits for school feeding, which served 56,493 students, has resulted in a reduction in dropouts by over 40% in most areas.

PTA Development and School Grants: Conditions in many rural Eritrean schools are very basic, with students attending classes under trees without fundamental supplies or equipment. As a result, many parents are highly concerned about the quality of education that their children are receiving. To date, the USDA-funded school grants have been one of the focal areas of project implementation and serve as one of the primary mechanisms to have PTAs serve a specific purpose in their community. In addition to the infrastructure, supplies, and equipment projects, there have also been some highly innovative projects. These have included the organization of mini-cafeterias to generate school income, the painting of large maps and other educational pictures on the sides of schools, and the construction of stages with accompanying music, dance, theater, and drama supplies to entertain the community at the school and for cultural development.

Specifically, the goal of Mercy Corps’ Program in Eritrea is to improve the educational environment for 35,000 students in 150 government-run primary schools. Mercy Corps implements its USDA-funded Education Improvement Program in partnership with the MoE and Vision Eritrea, a national NGO. The program works in government-run primary schools in remote, rural areas that meet the following criteria:

Mercy Corps works with nascent Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) to improve the education environment through:

Final: Mercy Corps reached its goal of 35,000 students within three months of program initiation. The schools participating in Mercy Corps’ program encompass seven of Eritrea’s nine ethnic and language groups, both Muslim and Christian areas, an urban/semi-urban to rural spectrum, five of six administrative zones and both war affected and drought-affected zones. Currently there are two Eritrean factories producing high-energy biscuits for Mercy Corps’ program. The factory has increased their workforce sevenfold to 290 individuals, primarily women. In addition, the program supports additional employment because the cardboard boxes used to package the biscuits are also produced in Eritrea.

Chronic malnutrition is a serious problem in most of the areas participating in the program. The nutritional composition of Mercy Corps’ high-energy biscuits was formulated in cooperation with the Eritrean Ministry of Health and based on UN World Health Organization guidelines. Students receive a 150-gram packet of biscuits each day they attend school. Each packet contains a minimum of 600 kcal, 24 grams of protein as well as vitamins and minerals. In reality, the biscuits produced by the Eritrean factories exceed these minimum nutritional requirements.

About one-third of the participating schools have received the first of three school improvement grants. The first grants are worth approximately $95.00 and a 40% community contribution in cash or in-kind is required. Grants have been given for a variety of initiatives including water piping and maintenance, football/volleyball fields, makeshift school construction, and entertainment/drama/song materials (musical instruments, stage construction, drawing materials, and sound systems), school repairs, school supplies and water provisions. All 114 schools have participated in training workshops, including the following:

3-day workshops that provide initial exposure to the MoE’s PTA guidelines and provide logistical training to ensure appropriate storage, handling and distribution of the high-energy biscuits.

A 3-day workshops that provides information and action planning support concerning the benefits of girl’s education and prepare PTAs to receive the first of three school improvement grants.

Mercy Corps developed educational cards to include in the locally produced biscuit packages and they have been very popular with the MoE, students and teachers. The cards are intended to be fun and educational surprises for the children receiving them, while also being available as teaching aids. An initial round of 26 cards was developed with English language alphabet upper- and lower-case characters on one side and a corresponding picture on the other. For example, one card has "A" and "a" on one side and a picture of an ant on the other. A second round of cards will be distributed soon, which have colors, animals, grammar, numbers and other topics, which directly relate to the national curriculum. Mercy Corps plans to develop 190 different two-sided cards (tied to the English curriculum) so that each child can have a different card for every school day.

The program’s School Improvement Grants have inspired communities to undertake their own school improvement initiatives. After seeing the results of the Mercy Corps-funded school improvement project in Arawti, a village in Debub Zone, community members organized the contribution of funds and labor to build a storage facility for the school.

Prior to soliciting bids for high-energy biscuits, MC met with Eritrea’s health officials to reach agreement on the minimum nutritional content of the biscuits. Eritrea had specific requirements, based on guidelines from the World Health Organization. All agreed that MC would solicit bids for biscuits with the following nutritional specifications: minimum of 600 kcal/student/day; 24 grams of protein/student/day; minimum ratio of 10 grams of protein per 100 grams of biscuit. The biscuits procured by MC meet these requirements and have been fortified with additional vitamins and minerals.

MC solicited competitive bids in a national newspaper and received six proposals. The three Eritrean factories that submitted bids did not meet the requirements. They could not obtain the ingredients on a regular basis, ensure delivery, or wrap the biscuit into a package that school children could easily consume. MC did select two Eritrean suppliers who obtained biscuits from manufacturers in Italy and India. MC continues to work with the Eritrean Government and local biscuit factories toward the possibility that Eritrean producers will be able to meet the necessary requirements in the future. In March 2002, MC delivered the first shipment of high-energy biscuits to schools, a milestone that received radio and newspaper coverage.

Staff and PTA members participated in a three-day workshop, which provided logistical training to ensure appropriate storage and distribution of the high-energy biscuits. PTA members were also introduced to the Eritrean Ministry of Education’s PTA guidelines, thereby laying the foundation for MC’s future capacity-building activities. In order to meet the needs of such a diverse population, MC has hired staff with a wide range of experience, each of whom is able to communicate in at least three languages. It is common for workshops to be held in several languages simultaneously to ensure full comprehension by community members. The common thread among the schools served is enthusiasm about the project and a belief that it is making a dramatic, immediate, and positive impact on the lives of the students.

Final: Mercy Corps has obtained important complementary funding from other donors for the Education Improvement Program.

The Tulloch Family of Edinburgh, Scotland funds the School Water Solutions Project. Most participating schools do not have water and sanitation facilities. The project works with schools and communities to identify their own best low-cost, low technology way to provide drinking and hand-washing water to students at school. Most communities to date have selected water provided through donkeys. Communities have been active, reliable partners in the program to date and it is Mercy Corps’ plan to expand the program to all needy schools participating in its USDA-funded sites. In addition, Mercy Corps is working to identify other donor support for the program.

The Parent Teacher Partnership Project (PTPP) is funded by the United Kingdom’s Community Fund. Like the EIP, the goal of this project is to improve the educational environment in government elementary schools in Eritrea. While the two projects have many similarities, there are some distinct differences between them. For example, entrance into the PTPP is based on application rather than need-based criteria. Whereas the Education Improvement Program focuses on schools that are performing poorly, the PTPP seeks to support schools and PTAs that have shown success. The PTPP’s activities are concentrated on PTA capacity-building (including small grants for school improvement projects) and strengthening community involvement in the school and PTA. No school feeding or girls education promotion activities are undertaken as part of the PTPP

Midterm: MC’s GFE schools cover a diverse area. The program encompasses four of Eritrea's ethnic and language groups, both Muslim and Christian areas, an urban/semi-urban to rural spectrum, four of six administrative zones, and both war-affected and drought-affected zones. Chronic calorie deficiency exists in these areas, and children do not have regular access to enough food. Schools do not have the resources to provide lunches, and families often do not have the resources to send food with their children for lunch.

MC’s original plan was to reach 35,000 students in 150 schools. Students will be provided with high-energy biscuits. MC now projects that the project will reach up to 65,000 students in as many as 180 schools nationwide. This change in number of beneficiaries is due to conservative original projections.

Due to the large number of target schools, wide geographic coverage, and difficult terrain, MC separated the implementation process into two phases, pilot and post-pilot. This allowed opportunities to test and correct logistical systems and procedures before launching into full project implementation. The pilot phase is now complete and the program has received positive reviews from the national and regional ministries of education and, most importantly, from the students, parents, and teachers. School feeding in these areas is seen as the immediate solution to a very specific community challenge.

MC’s overall goal is to assist the Ministry of Education to improve the education environment through school feeding in selected government primary schools in four regions of Eritrea. Criteria for measuring success, implementation status, and comments are shown on the following table.

Final: Water is the single most critical issue for communities throughout Eritrea. Most participating schools do not have water and sanitation facilities, which are important to complement the distribution of high-energy biscuits. Mercy Corps successfully leveraged the progress of its Education Improvement Program to obtain a grant from a Scottish family for the School Water Solutions Project. The project works with schools and communities to identify their own best low-cost, appropriate technology way to provide drinking and hand-washing water to students at school. Most communities to date have selected water provided through donkeys. Communities have been active, reliable partners in the program to date and it is Mercy Corps’ plan to expand the program to all needy schools participating in its USDA-funded sites. In addition, Mercy Corps is working to identify other donor support for the program.

Mercy Corps is leveraging funding from the United Kingdom Community Fund under the Parent Teacher Partnership Project (PTPP), thereby complementing the USDA funds with valuable assets worth over ½ million dollars. Like the EIP, the goal of this funding is to improve the educational environment in government elementary schools in Eritrea. While the two projects are complementary and similar in many ways, there are some distinct differences between them. For example, entrance into the PTPP is based on application rather than need-based criteria. Whereas the EIP looks for schools that are performing poorly, the PTPP seeks to support schools and PTAs that have shown success. The PTPP’s activities are concentrated on PTA capacity-building (including small grants for school improvement projects) and strengthening community involvement in the school and PTA

Midterm: The Ministry of Education hired and trained two field monitors to assist MC in the evaluation and monitoring efforts. MC is working to identify other donor support for the program.

Final: The primary focus of increased sustainability has been the local production of the high-energy biscuits. For the first time in Eritrea’s history, a humanitarian ration specifically for schools is being produced in-country.

The most promising step toward program sustainability is the strategy to increase the capacity of PTAs. The PTAs are the heart and soul of the program. Only when the importance and longer-term value of education is instilled in the minds of parents will any education intervention take root and become sustainable. Many schools have demonstrated a tremendous level of volunteerism and cooperation to ensure the success of the program. Local government officials have given their offices as storage facilities for the biscuits. Villages provided financial and in-kind contributions to repair roads to participating schools so that biscuits can be delivered.

The primary area of increased sustainability for the school feeding component has been that high-energy biscuits are produced in Eritrea. For the first time in Eritrea’s history, a humanitarian ration specifically for schools is being produced in-country.

In the past year, Mercy Corps has established solid working relationships with Vision Eritrea and the Ministry of Education colleagues at all levels. The partner NGO has put in place effective logistical systems for delivering a seamless supply of high-energy biscuits to participating schools in collaboration with MoE sub-zone level education supervisors.

Mercy Corps will continue to explore ways of making the best use of the high level of commitment to the program shown by the communities in addressing the question of sustainability

Midterm: The most promising step toward program sustainability is the strategy to increase the capacity of PTA’s. The PTA’s are the heart and soul of the program. MC says that only when the importance and longer term value of education is instilled in the minds of parents will any education intervention take root and become sustainable.

Many schools have demonstrated a tremendous level of volunteerism and cooperation to ensure the success of the program. Local government officials have given their offices as storage facilities for the biscuits. Villages provided financial and in-kind contributions to repair roads to participating schools, so biscuits can be delivered. Extraordinary efforts are being made to transport biscuits to schools in areas that are inaccessible by vehicle. One school organized students to meet the MC truck at the bottom of the mountain on which the school is situated. Students then carry the cartons of biscuits up the mountain on their backs, a steep two-hour climb.

Final: See evaluation methodology in Appendix 1.

Midterm: USDA and MC both have monitoring and evaluation responsibilities. USDA’s monitor is conducting a baseline survey covering 20 schools in the four zones and conducting unannounced visits to an additional 30-targeted schools. Collectively, a matrix was developed of the 150 schools participating in the program. The factors from which the schools were selected were geography and the level of enrollment by girls. These two factors are critical in determining the impact of school feeding. A random sample of 20 schools was selected, with a minimum of two schools selected from each cell.

Vision Eritrea prepared a number of monitoring forms that MC field monitors will use during unannounced site visits with teachers. The monitor conducts head counts and cross-matches the number with the number of attendants registered in the teacher’s daily book. Monitors also match the number of biscuits distributed since the last monitoring visit with attendance figures. The monitors observe the storage situation and overall cleanliness and note infestation problems. They work with the schools and PTA’s to remedy any problems.

Final: Mercy Corps has prepared various training materials for the girls’ education component of the Education Improvement Program. Beginning in August 2002, Mercy Corps and Vision Eritrea were facilitating bi-monthly meetings with other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the Ministry of Education to discuss solutions to low enrollment and attendance among girls, along with training methodologies in the field. In addition, Mercy Corps carries out public information campaigns on the importance of girls ‘education

PTAs are conducting information campaigns in their communities to promote girls’ school attendance, enrollment and performance. The primary forum for such sessions is Parents’ Day Assemblies at which groups of community members learn more about the school and how they can contribute to the students’ learning process. The multi-pronged strategy first removes short-term obstacles in the form of incentives to girls and their families. Girls may receive school supplies and their families may receive water storage containers. The second part responds to specific root causes of poor participation of girls in education, namely cultural/traditional issues, economic issues, distances to school and nomadic lifestyle

In Eritrea, if girls are able to attend school at all, many do not finish primary school because of early marriage or the need by their families for their help at home. Girls are often viewed as members of the community who do not necessarily need access to education. The cultural expectation is that the men in their lives will provide for their needs. In addition, girls carry a much heavier burden in the home and are expected to take care of the children, cook meals, and gather firewood and water. When a family decides which children will go to school, more often than not, the boys in the family are selected, particularly if the parents are required to pay school fees. Meeting the educational needs of girls is an ongoing challenge that Mercy Corps is prepared to take on through a variety of project activities.

At every workshop that the program has organized, there has been over 50% involvement of women. Though the focus on girls is essential, the organizing of women is sometimes an inlet into accessing girls to come to school. At this time, 40% of the schools feeding beneficiaries are girls. There are constant efforts made to convince families to send their girls to school, primarily through the use of Parents’ Day Assemblies that highlight the effects and benefits of sending girls to school.

Final: Reports from USDA and Mercy Corps monitors indicate that student enrollment has increased since the biscuits were introduced. According to teachers and school administrators, students who dropped out earlier in the school year are trying to re-enroll in school.

Guben Hadish, Director of Pedagogy for the Ministry of Education in Anseba Zone, has been particularly enthusiastic about the biscuit distribution. In a meeting with Mercy Corps, he said, "This biscuit is making dramatic change immediately. School dropouts decreased, and some are even returning from the first semester. No latecomers now. This biscuit encourages them, really. Even physical fitness is very good. Demand is beginning now. Parents are asking to register even their 6-year-old child. This program motivates our schools. It must continue."

The school-feeding component of the program started in March 2002 and enrollment was analyzed. However, preliminary reports from USDA and Mercy Corps field officers indicate that student enrollment has increased since the biscuits were introduced. According to teachers and school administrators, students who dropped out earlier in the school year are trying to re-enroll in school.

Reports from USDA and Mercy Corps monitors indicate that student enrollment has increased since the biscuits were introduced. According to teachers and school administrators, students who dropped out earlier in the school year are trying to re-enroll in school.

In June 2003, senior management at Mercy Corps and Vision Eritrea undertook a joint evaluation with the Ministry of Education that reached 24% of the active Education Improvement Program schools and communities. Some impressive results were found.

While overall enrollment in EIP schools has increased by 11.85%, girls’ enrollment has increased by 12.08%. In addition, students are registering for the coming school year up to two months earlier and are seeking to register their 4 and 5 year olds for the first grade whereas the average age is 7.

Midterm: The school-feeding component of the program started in March 2002 and enrollment data is being analyzed. However, preliminary reports from USDA and MC monitors indicate that student enrollment has increased since the biscuits were introduced. According to teachers and school administrators, students who dropped out earlier in the school year are trying to re-enroll in school.

Guben Hadish, head of pedagogy for Anseba zone, Ministry of Education, has been particularly enthusiastic about the biscuit distribution. In a meeting with MC on April 8, 2002, with MC, he said, "This biscuit is making dramatic change immediately. School dropouts decreased, and some are even returning from the first semester. No latecomers now. This biscuit encourages them, really. Even physical fitness is very good. Demand is beginning now. Parents are asking to register even their 6-year-old child. This program motivates our schools. It must continue."

Final: Preliminary feedback from teachers and administrators indicate school attendance has increased since the high-energy biscuits were introduced. According to school officials, absenteeism and tardiness have virtually disappeared in many of the participating schools. Though the Education Improvement Program was already showing a positive impact in student attendance, rising to a 9% increase in the first few months of the program, the current state of affairs is even more promising. In some areas the rate is as high as a 20% increase. Several examples illustrate the effect of school meals in primary schools. For instance, a mother reported to the USDA Monitor that her two daughters created a song about the tasty biscuits at school and have not been absent since the high-energy biscuits started arriving.

Midterm: Preliminary feedback from teachers and administrators indicate school attendance has increased since the biscuits were introduced. According to school officials, absenteeism and tardiness have virtually disappeared in many of the participating schools.

Several examples illustrate this effect of school meals in primary schools. For instance, the father of a 10-year-old boy participating in the program reported that his son told him, "Daddy, I like the biscuits at school. Do you want me to bring one home for you?" A mother reported to the monitor that her two daughters created a song about the tasty biscuits at school and have not been absent since the biscuits started arriving.

Final: Teachers have noticed improved concentration, attentive behavior, and an attitude of interest in learning. Students seem more enthusiastic about classroom assignments and activities. They are more talkative and excited about their work, particularly after the biscuits are served. When the teachers ask for a class volunteer, nearly every hand goes up.

One teacher reported that student eye contact has improved. Students now look at her when she speaks during class, and their attention span has improved. They are less distracted and are now able to sit still and listen attentively. According to some reports, students’ work is written more clearly, with better organizational skills.

Midterm: According to teachers and school administrators, the performance of students has improved as a result of the high-energy biscuits. Teachers have noticed improved concentration, attentive behavior, and an attitude of interest in learning. Students seem more enthusiastic about classroom assignments and activities. They are more talkative and excited about their work, particularly after the biscuits are served. When the teachers ask for a class volunteer, nearly every hand goes up.

One teacher reported that student eye contact has improved. Students now look at her when she speaks during class, and their attention span has improved. They are less distracted and are now able to sit still and listen attentively. According to some reports, students’ work is written more clearly, with better organization.

MC is preparing training materials for the girls’ education component of the GFE program. Beginning in August 2002, MC plans to facilitate bi-monthly meetings with other non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) and the Ministry of Education to discuss solutions to low enrollment and attendance among girls. In addition, MC will conduct public information campaigns on the importance of girls’ education and launch school registration drives that target girls.

Upon completion of the pilot program, the Ministry of Education and MC plan to work on plans for flexible schooling options to allow girls to attend school on a schedule that meets the needs of nomadic communities. They will also work together to create a general literacy program for girls who are forced to leave school. MC’s long-term objective is to establish a female teacher recruitment action plan with the Ministry of Education to provide appropriate role models for girls in rural communities. Specifically, the girls’ education campaign will be in the form of community-based plays, songs, and picture-based stories.

Final: The number of dropouts in EIP schools has decreased between the 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 school years by 41.61%, a staggering level under any circumstances, though particularly impressive given the social stress that Eritrea is undergoing due to the protracted drought.

The data collection process itself has also been transformed. The speed at which people assembled for the evaluation sessions from amongst community members clearly means that the level of organizational capacity has been enhanced within the PTAs; this is at the heart of the EIP’s aims. The mobilization process has been tangible, well-organized, and is very much appreciated by community members as a tool for their further involvement in education affairs. It has become much easier to find the larger PTA, the Girls’ Education Promotion Working Group and the Grant Working Group. This is due to the fact that Mercy Corps has spearheaded these sub-groups and now all of these people have faced organizational challenges that were successfully engaged in and they are now accustomed to working as a team. Through the evaluation process itself, the empowering of community members to speak their minds and to truly feel that they are a part of the program was evident in almost every area. It also allowed for the primary role of sub-zone education officers and supervisors to carry out their responsibilities, with Mercy Corps’ assistance.

Parents remark that students are more self-motivated to do their tasks at home. Parents also report that "their hair is shiny" and "they dance in front of the school each break time" once they eat the nutritious high-energy biscuits.

Midterm: Stronger links have been created between the local community and school directors by arranging community sessions where community and school needs are discussed and plans put in place to address those concerns.

Final: Stronger links have been created between local communities and school directors by arranging community sessions where village and school needs are discussed and action plans are put in place to address those concerns.

The capacity of a local NGO, Vision Eritrea, has increased as a result of the school feeding program. Seventy Vision Eritrea members, including newly hired field monitors and enumerators, received training on techniques and strategies to effectively implement the program through the PTAs. Vision Eritrea has hired additional staff and purchased equipment to assist with training and the girls’ education campaign. Jobs were created and the local economy has been stimulated. Mercy Corps has entered into a number of local contracts with Eritrean transportation companies, an NGO, and storage companies to assist in the school feeding part of the program. These contracts have created approximately 200 local jobs.

Relationships with the Ministry of Education have been strengthened. Mercy Corps and its partners have urged the resumption of the Education Sectoral Coordination Committee, co-chaired by the Ministry of Education. The committee meets monthly and includes representation from Eritrea’s Ministry of Education, NGOs, and United Nations agencies involved in education-related programs. In addition, the Ministry of Education created a position, School Feeding Project Officer, to coordinate with Mercy Corps and its colleague agencies implementing school feeding activities.

Midterm: The capacity of a local NGO, Vision Eritrea, has increased as a result of the school feeding program. Ten Vision Eritrea members, including newly hired field monitors, received training on techniques and strategies to effectively implement the program through the PTA’s. Visions Eritrea has hired additional staff and purchased equipment to assist with training and the girls’ education campaign.

Jobs were created and the local economy has been stimulated. MC has entered into a number of local contracts with Eritrea transportation companies, an NGO, and storage companies to assist in the school feeding program. These contracts have created approximately 65 local jobs.

Relationships with the Ministry of Education have been strengthened. MC and its partners have urged the resumption of the Education Sectoral Coordination Committee, co-chaired by the Ministry of Education. The committee meets monthly and includes representation from Eritrea’s Ministry of Education, NGO’s, and United Nations agencies involved in education-related projects. Working groups on school feeding, PTA capacity building, girls’ education promotion, and psycho-social projects have been created. In addition, the Ministry of Education created a position, School Feeding Officer, to coordinate with MC and its colleague agencies implementing school feeding activities.

Parental time constraints and literacy issues need to be factored into project implementation plans. Biscuit distribution has created extra work for already-overburdened teachers. MC staff expected parents to assist teachers, through the PTA’s, but farm and family responsibilities make it extremely difficult for them to commit time to schools each day. In addition, many parents are largely or completely illiterate, which makes it difficult for them to complete the forms needed by the project.

MC put the responsibility on the participating schools to design their own school-specific systems and procedures for the biscuit distribution and encouraged them to find creative ways to include parents. In the end, most schools put the burden on the teachers and school director. Future efforts must continue to find ways to ensure greater participation of parents in the PTA’s. Such efforts need to be sensitive to the time constraints and seasonal nature of farming and animal husbandry.

Most participating schools do not have adequate water and sanitation facilities. The distribution of high-energy biscuits exacerbates the existing need for potable water, and MC has received many requests to provide potable water to schools. Further efforts will address this issue within the small grants component of the project. The World Food Program (WFP) currently operates a school feeding program in 133 schools in five zones of Eritrea. WFP distributes dry take-home rations in the form of wheat, peas, oil, and salt. In the future, WFP plans to switch to a combination of "wet feeding" methods. WFP anticipates that the main challenges in this regard will be firewood consumption and water provisions. As MC and WFP explore wet feeding methods, further attention will be needed to ensure that water and sanitation infrastructure are sufficient. While dry feeding currently meets an important need, wet feeding will provide increased options for food programs.

Developing local capacity is integral to success. MC believes that an important aspect of the project is to ensure that steps are taken to nationalize all operations as soon as possible. From the project’s inception, MC has worked closely with Vision Eritrea. Vision Eritrea has recently taken on increased responsibility in program monitoring and training. MC will continue to work to increase local responsibility for oversight of the program.

Health problems need to be addressed. Mercy Corps expects to add a health and nutrition component to the program in order to ensure that proper hygiene is observed and to introduce health education into the classroom as it relates to school feeding. A de-worming component will be added to the school feeding program because parasites threaten to negate the benefits of food supplements.

activities is important. Initially, Mercy Corps selected individuals from each community to attend workshops about how to identify and prioritize problems in their schools, complete a grant application form, prepare a budget and carry out a competitive purchasing process. We expected these individuals to mobilize their community and to form effective Grant Working Groups to take responsibility for the implementation of the grant projects. After the pilot phase of the grant activity, Mercy Corps reorganized the process to have community meetings first to ensure that the communities as a whole were aware of the availability of the grants. The community then selected members for the Grant Working Groups and decided who should attend the workshops. The second round of grants went much smoother as a result. By the end of the reporting period, a majority of the schools not only had completed their projects but had also submitted their final reports ahead of schedule. Workshop and school improvement project grant materials will continue to be refined to be more accessible to a non-literate audience.

It is essential that large staff teams feel a part of the group and that planning is carried out systematically and in tandem with all levels of leadership. All Mercy Corps staff and program staff from Vision Eritrea staff attended a 3-day retreat. At the retreat, staff reviewed progress of the project, celebrated successes, captured lessons learned and identified best practices. In addition, staff received training in SWOT/ACT ON analysis, Sphere Standards for Humanitarian Assistance, program design and other important technical skills. Several Training Days and an Enumerators Day were held along the same lines. Project staff attended the Second Annual International Early Childhood Development Conference located in Asmara, Eritrea.

Final: One teacher in a school called Mealdi (Adi Teklezan Sub-zone, Anseba Zone) said, "Look at the kids. They are so energetic! This is because of your biscuits!"

Midterm: Twelve-year-old Osman Mohammed Idris of the Rehay School in Anseba zone knows adversity. Both his parents are dead and he is living with elderly grandparents who are in poor health. They can do little more for him than provide a roof over his head. Osman began hanging around the army camp in his village, but the soldiers did what they could to help him. In March 2002, MC began the GFE program in Osman’s school. "The biscuits help me so much because I have no mother or father," says Osman. "They are both my breakfast and lunch. They give me energy to pay attention in class and learn. This is important to me because if I do well, I can go to junior secondary boarding school next year."

Amna Mohammed Ali, age 13, attends Kertset School in Anseba zone. "Amna is clever," her teacher reports. "She is the cleverest student in the class." Amna squirms shyly as her teacher praises her. She nervously reaches to adjust her head covering but returns her left arm to its usual hiding place beneath her scarf as soon as possible. She wants no one to notice that she is missing her left hand. When Amna was a little girl, she picked up a landmine in a field near her house. Her excitement about the prospect of finding a new toy was met with tragedy. She lost a hand but was lucky that her injuries were not worse. Today, Amna again is lucky. Her school in this remote village of Kertset participates in the MC GFE program, and Amna and the other students receive a packet of high-energy biscuits every day they come to school. "I have to walk two and one-half hours one way every day to come to school. Before the biscuits, I used to miss school sometimes. I had to leave my house before breakfast and did not get home in time for lunch. Many days, I just did not have the energy to walk in the heat through the mountains," says Amna. "Now, the biscuits give me power. I am not absent from school anymore."

Fiori Ocqbit, age 9, attends Kermed School in Anseba zone. "I like school. I want to continue my studies and become a teacher," she says. It is hard to believe that she used to be so hungry that she would fall asleep in class and not do her schoolwork. All of that has changed. "When I get biscuits, I get energy and I can follow my class work," she says. "Things at home have changed, too. Now that I’m getting biscuits at school, I am not so hungry anymore, so my two brothers and three sisters get the food that I used to eat. Everybody is getting more food. Next summer, when my 6-year-old brother is old enough to go to pre-school, I will tell him that he MUST come to school."

Ibrahim Humed is a PTA chairperson at Rehay School and a man who understands the value of public service. He served his country as a fighter during the war of liberation from Ethiopia. After the war ended, he returned to his life as a farmer, but his reputation earned him a volunteer position as a mediator on the local judiciary. In his opinion, though, perhaps his most important public service is that of PTA chairperson at Rehay school. "I grew up during colonial times and only got to finish grade three," he says. "I understand the value of education and I want my kids to have an opportunity that I did not have. It is the same with all of the parents here."

PTA chairperson Ibrahim Humed continues: "The program is having a big impact on so many levels for both the students and the community. For the students, the biscuits help them come to school. Some students come from a village called Dareko, a three-hour walk one way through heat and rocky mountains. There is drought there. Before they received biscuits from Mercy Corps, if they came to school, they would sleep through class because they were so tired from making their journey with no food or water, and they certainly would not come to school two days in a row. Now, they are happy. Their stomachs are full. They come to school every day on time. Before the biscuits, students were running to the clinic all the time for sickness. Sickness is the result of what? Lack of food. There is a change. No students are going to the clinic in Melebso now (the nearest clinic, which is a three-hour walk). There is a change."

He also reports a change for his children. "Before they received biscuits from Mercy Corps," he says, "as soon as they got home from school, they would complain about being hungry and ask for food. Now they do not complain any more. The biscuits are making a big difference at home."

The biscuits are having an impact within the community as well. Now, at least four people from the community, including Ibrahim Humed, show up every day to help distribute high-energy biscuits to students and to make tea for the children to drink. A student runs from the classroom to ring the school’s improvised bell – the casing from a tank shell left over from the war of independence. As the bell rings and students begin pouring into the schoolyard, Ibrahim does his final check on the tea ladies and the biscuits to ensure that today’s distribution will go smoothly. "Thank you, Mercy Corps, for everything," he says.