1. We had a significant impact at the 2017 GCNF
The Forum kicked off with a recap of last year’s event, which the Club organized alongside the City of Montreal. We were honoured to hear nothing but positive feedback! Our passion and expertise inspired other participants; they were impressed by the magnitude of our actions across Canada and are searching for ways to have as big an influence in their own country.
2. Average education levels are on the rise
Around the world, employers are requiring higher education levels and more qualified workers. This issue is even apparent within the United Nations. In some African nations, the only job requirement used to be an elementary school diploma. Now, applicants require a high school diploma. Today, many countries are encouraging children to pursue postsecondary education because of how fast the world is evolving. With the cycles of change shortening, workers need to be able to keep up. Academic success is therefore increasingly important in the world of work.
3. School nutrition is a global emergency
With the phenomenon of a greater rate of higher education comes the immediate need to feed more children in schools. It would cost .6 billion to feed every child at risk in the world. In spite of the urgency of the situation, the global economy and large companies are still not ready to prioritize school nutrition, which we need to work on to help the 73 million children currently at risk.
4. Solidarity in the search for solutions
GCNF participants were more present and engaged than ever. In addition to the presentations and workshops at the event, there were many one-on-one discussions about best practices, ways to access food at a lower cost, educational documentation, and more. This is in line with our values and beliefs. Together, we will reach our goal!
Daniel Germain with Arlene Mitchell, Executive Director of Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF)
5. School nutrition initiatives reach far too few children in some countries
For example, in Congo, only 30,000 children are fed through school nutrition programs. Compare this with the 220,000 children Breakfast Club of Canada reaches daily in Canada. Many solutions were also shared to help everyone diversify their revenue sources to feed more children.
Attending the 2018 Global Child Nutrition Forum was very important to us. We learned a great deal there, but we gave back even more. The results show how much of an impact we have had both here in Canada and internationally. We are proud to do our part to help put an end to child food insecurity worldwide.
