SUSTAINABILITY
THE LUNCH PROGRAMME THAT’S CHANGING LIVES Tucked away behind a subtle fence guarded with security on a busy South Auckland road is Manurewa High School. Upon arriving last week the unassuming entrance certainly has more than meets the eye.
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he high school is the largest multicultural school in New Zealand, with 2000 students representing over 50 nationalities. And importantly, Manurewa High School is leading the way with their firm involvement in the Government-led healthy school lunch initiative, Ka Ora, Ka Ako. The Ka Ora, Ka Ako initiative provides free of charge healthy school lunches and aims to reduce food insecurity by providing access to a nutritious lunch at school, every day. As of March 2021, more than eight
million lunches were served in 542 schools to over 132,600 kids — a number which is set to grow as the programme strengthens. There is no denying the positive impact that the lunches have had on these children — “these lunches have changed my life” mentioned one of the school’s prefects. There is strong evidence that regular, nutritious food is vital for children’s physical, mental and educational development. It affects their ability to focus, concentrate and learn. Sadly, around one in five children in New Zealand live in households that struggle to put enough good-quality food on the table. In communities facing greater socioeconomic barriers, 40% of parents run out of food sometimes or often. As a company, Ecoware has a vital role to play in supporting the schools and food distribution companies involved with certified compostable packaging — a safe, hygienic and environmentally friendly solution. Importantly, we’re also able to educate and support Kiwi kids around what to do with their lunch waste when they are finished eating. We know that by teaching more sustainable behaviours and habits from an early age, the next generation will act as our country’s caretakers for decades to follow.
