Keeping children’s bellies full with Breakfast for Kids project

Currently there are more than 10,000 children in Thailand who do not have the chance to eat breakfast. Full nutritional intake is especially important to children aged 1 – 12 years old as it is pivotal to their physical and intellectual growth.

A large number of children from impoverished families hardly ever eat nutritious breakfast meals. They are undernourished and are coming to school hungry since that their parents are too poor to provide them with morning meals. Sometimes all the children get to eat in the morning is sticky rice dipped in chilli, while many others arrive at school with an empty stomach. Not many of them get to the luxury of eating breakfast and dinner; in fact they have to wait with growling bellies to eat lunch – their first meal – at school. These groups of children are small for their age and have low immune system. They cannot concentrate in classes, hence their low academic performance.

In order for children to start their day with full bellies, World Vision Foundation of Thailand (WVFT) is working with various child development centres across the country to introduce the ‘Breakfast for Kids’ project. The children in these development centres, whose age ranges from 2-6 years old, are now eating healthy morning meals. Breakfast for Kids project is also relieving the burdens of families who do not have the time or money to prepare breakfast for their children.

Mrs Chitra Thumborisuth, WVFT’s National Director said that WVFT works to improve the wellbeing of children, their families and communities. Children will grow up to become important assets of the country and deserve to be fully nurtured, be it in the areas of education, morality or health and nutrition by eating quality morning meals. After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The project also organises training for teachers, parents and child development centre staffers for them to recognise the importance of breakfast for pre-school children.

“World Vision Foundation of Thailand has been working on the Breakfast for Kids project since year 2010. We find that children have noticeably better development since eating breakfast daily. Physically, they are gaining weight and emotionally, they are in better moods, are more talkative and participate in activities more. They are learning to socialise and share food with their friends. Most important of all, the children have adjusted their eating behaviour. They are eating more breakfast and their parents are paying more attention to their morning meals as well.

In 2016, Breakfast for Kids project has provided 868,442 breakfast meals to 6,208 children in 150 child development centres and 5 schools across 39 sub-districts of 21 areas in 16 provinces.

“These achievements are only the beginning of the success story. There are still many more children who are waiting for the chance to eat a full breakfast. With a donation of 20B per meal, you can give them a nutritious morning meal, which will spur their physical growth and mental development. Children need to reach their full potential in order to become productive citizens.”

‘Breakfast for Kids’ project is among the several projects pursued by WVFT to help impoverished children, families and communities to have better wellbeing and become self-sustainable.

Please donate to the
Breakfast for Kids project at:

World Vision Foundation of Thailand

Tel: 02 022-9200-2

Fax: 02 022-9203-5

Website: www.worldvision.or.th

Line@ ID: @worldvision-thai

I remember the day I visited Achira at home and found him and his sister eating rice with plain water. But after he was enrolled at the childcare centre, Achira is eating full morning meals and has gained more weight and height. These days he is smiling, is more cheerful and participates more in activities,” said teacher Anchalee, who is the Headmistress at Baan Thum Wiang Kae Child Development Centre in Nan province’s Thum Wiang Kae district.

Children at child development centres are enjoying healthy breakfast meals

Mrs Chitra Thumborisuth,

World Vision Foundation of Thailand’s National Director

Achira, a young child who enjoys full breakfast meals at Baan Thum Wiang Kae Child Development Centre in Nan province’s Thum Wiang Kae district