Nurturing Hope: food security for the children of Pilkhana
A multidisciplinary approach at Balo’ English School: from school meals to community education.
In the heart of the Pilkhana slum, the Balo' English School is far more than just a place of learning: it is a vital hub for the comprehensive protection of children.
In an urban environment marked by extreme vulnerability, we recognize that guaranteeing the right to education means, first and foremost, ensuring decent living conditions. Effective education is impossible without first addressing basic needs: nutrition and health.
This conviction gave rise to the “Nutrire Speranze” (Nurturing Hope) project. The initiative centers on the school canteen—a safe haven that provides balanced, daily meals to the 450 children and young people attending the school. Adequate nutrition is not only essential for physical growth but is also a powerful educational tool: a well-nourished child has a better ability to concentrate, attends classes more regularly, and possesses the energy needed to build their future.
However, the project extends beyond providing meals; it strives to bring the foundations of dignity and survival beyond the school wallsand into the students' homes. Involving mothers is not a theoretical exercise, but a vital step: they learn to manage limited resources and apply basic hygiene rules to protect their children in an environment where overcrowding and poor sanitation can be lethal. Simultaneously, the project empowers the younger generation: teenagers trained as “Ambassadors” serve as practical guides for younger children. By taking these life-saving rules into the community, they trigger a peer-education mechanism that places young people at the forefront of change in the slum's crowded alleys.
Medical monitoring completes this integrated system. Alongside the meal program, the project involves constant tracking of each student’s health and growth. Periodic screenings conducted by Italian volunteer doctors enable the prompt identification of any health issues, ensuring the effectiveness of nutritional support is measured through concrete data.
This virtuous model—combining daily care, holistic education, and community development—is a reality that comes to life every day thanks to our donors and, in 2026, also through the financial support of the Waldensian Church of Italy.
