Jennifer Lopez version of our own school feeding program

So award winning superstar American artist Jennifer Lopez has decided to create her own version of the federal government school feeding program in an elementary school located in Tennessee, United States.

News broke recently that Jennifer is donating a year’s supply of food to feed hungry pupils of the school after reading a post put up by one of the teachers in the school who reported that one pupil told her he was always hungry.

I thought Jennifer’s gesture is remarkable on three fronts.

Firstly, it is a fitting response. No school child should go without food. Growing children need all the food they can get to help their young brains develop properly. If they are left to go hungry, they become stunted and consequently, will not be able give a good account of themselves, as adults, when the moment comes. At the Platform Conference organized by Covenant Christian Centre, in May 1st this year, Ndidi Nwuneli, made a compelling case along these lines. The children we do not feed well today, will not be able to properly represent us tomorrow. The rest of society may go without food but certainly not the children.

The second reason I consider Jennifer’s gesture remarkable is the fact that other celebrities, particularly from the local front, may want to latch on to the example and soon begin to announce that they are donating a year’s food to this or that school. That way they could create a new movement that will trend with the hashtag, ‘No school child should hunger.’

Lastly, her gesture is remarkable for the statement she made as she announced her commitment. She said children should hunger for knowledge, not food. How very apt. Knowledge gives power, capabilities and all kinds of advantages. Knowledgeable children can easily find solutions to the challenge of food security as they grow older. But otherwise, the conditions are dire.

(Visited 151 times, 1 visits today)

Leave a Reply