Does a school snack make a difference? An evaluation of the World Food Programme emergency school feeding programme in Lebanon among Lebanese and Syrian refugee children.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of providing a daily healthy school snack on children's nutritional, social and educational outcomes and explore stakeholders' perceptions of an emergency school feeding programme (SFP). DESIGN: Convergence triangulation mixed-methods study design. Associations were examined between receiving the school feeding intervention and children's outcomes using multivariable regression models. Quantitative data were complemented with interviews and focus group discussions with parents and staff. SETTING: In vulnerable communities in Lebanon, the World Food Programme has implemented an emergency SFP targeting Lebanese (attending morning sessions) and Syrian refugee children (attending afternoon sessions) in public schools. PARTICIPANTS: Children from ten intervention schools (morning n 403; afternoon n 379) and ten matched control schools (morning n 399; afternoon n 401), as well as twenty-nine parents and twenty-two school staff members. RESULTS: Diet diversity was higher in intervention schools as compared with control with a significantly higher consumption of dairy products, nuts and fruit in both sessions. Child-reported food insecurity experience was lower in children attending the afternoon session of intervention v. control schools. The SFP intervention was associated with higher school engagement and sense of school community in the morning session only. While the SFP was significantly associated with higher attendance for children in afternoon sessions only, it was significantly associated with school retention of children in both sessions. CONCLUSIONS: A daily healthy snack potentially acts as an incentive to improve children's nutritional outcomes, school engagement, sense of belonging, equality between students and improvement in children's attendance and retention in public schools.

Assessment of the World Food Programme summer camps in Lebanon: a model of effective interventions for vulnerable adolescents.

The World Food Programme (WFP) offers yearly health and nutrition summer camps hosting vulnerable Syrian and Lebanese children and aiming at improving physical, mental and social well-being while contributing to better social cohesion. The present study aimed to assess the 2019 WFP summer camps' effectiveness in reaching the intended outcomes and to provide recommendations for improvement. A multi-method approach using (1) quantitative student pre-/post-surveys (n 443), (2) focus group discussions and (3) key informant interviews and surveys (n 42) was adopted. Mean test results showed improvements in nutrition (4·79 (sd 1·9) v. 5·34 (sd 2·7); t(269) = 4·51, P = 0·000) and life skills knowledge (4·97 (sd 1·9) v. 5·55 (sd 2); t(294) = 4·52, P = 0·000) but no improvement in health knowledge and social cohesion scores. Qualitative data revealed positive changes in social cohesion and an increase in health knowledge. In addition, there was a positive attitude towards the summer camps from students, instructors and administrators specifically regarding the integrated content, snacks and atmosphere of fun and learning. The main weaknesses identified were the short time to prepare for the camps, shortage in instructor training and short camp duration. There were also points of debate regarding sexual and reproductive health-related topics and how they should be delivered. All in all, the camps were shown to be a commendable initiative for incorporating an integrated and holistic approach in the support of education and development among vulnerable children and adolescents.