Thrive: Feed, Educate, Grow

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While planning my winter travel I had considered visiting Bangladesh, because of their focus on micro loans. But I was hesitant to travel here alone based on the difficult time I had traveling alone in India many years ago. I ended up connecting with a gal that I grew up with who lived in BD for a year for her husband's job placement. She was the first one to encourage me to visit and assured me that I would not face the same issues I did in India.

While in BD Gina Rennpage, along with two other expats, started a program to feed children in the neighboring slum districts. For my West Michigan friends: think Kid's Food Basket, but the children eat the meals mid day while at school. The three founders are all now living in different countries, but are still involved in fundraising. The day to day operations of the organization is run by several local women. The organization has grown enough to now engage a logistics company to oversee quality control of the food and delivery to all of the schools they serve. The organization was started 8 years ago and has since grown to feed over 12,000 students each week.

Since arriving I have made several connections that relate back to Thrive so I wanted to take some time to learn more about their organization and visit some of the students they serve. For just under $.50 per day Thrive provides a balanced selection of items for the children to eat at the mid day hour. Items range from bananas, apples, guavas, eggs, nuts, and milk. This is many times the only proper food the children eat that day.

I visited a school in a slum neighborhood only a few kms from where I am staying. Most of these parents are rickshaw drivers, maids, or security guards. The parents make so little money that the food the children receive at home are items like rice that do not provide much nutritional value.

I was very impressed with the school building much of which was built, equipped, and funded by outside donations.

I visited the classrooms of children Kindergarten through 2nd grade. The children were very excited to have a visitor and had prepared pictures, songs, and dances to share. If I have time, I plan to visit more schools next week and join them for some home visits.

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