DIRE DAWA — Meskerem 11, 2019 E.C. — In a major step toward enhancing educational outcomes, the Ethiopian School Meals Initiative (ESMI) successfully conducted the official partial handover of the "Sustainable School Feeding Budget for Better Education" project to the Dire Dawa Administration today. Delivering this modern, highly anticipated initiative, ESMI signed a joint Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the regional Education Bureau. The strategic agreement solidifies their collaboration, focusing on a comprehensive summary of the successfully completed phases while laying out the clear framework for finalizing the remaining tasks of the project. Following the official handover and signing ceremony, stakeholders in attendance conducted a site visit to the innovative, technology-supported agricultural development that serves as the backbone of the initiative. This farm supplies vital inputs directly to the project's central cooking facility. During the tour, it was specifically pointed out that securing reliable water and energy supplies will be essential to ensure the long-term sustainability and success of the farm. To witness the practical results of ESMI's initiative firsthand, the delegation then visited Melka Jebdu Primary and Middle School. There, officials physically observed the student feeding process that has already commenced, seeing the direct, on-the-ground impact the project is having on the children. Addressing the significance of the handover, Mr. Abubeker Abdosh, Deputy Head of the Education Bureau, stated that the launch of the feeding program is a crucial milestone. He emphasized that the project is vital in helping the education sector achieve its major responsibility of producing capable citizens for the overarching goal of nation-building. The Deputy Head further added that this feeding project serves as great news for parents who previously had no choice but to keep their children out of the classroom due to an inability to provide them with meals. He explained that this initiative will not only encourage school-aged children to enroll in school but will also effectively eliminate the student dropout rates that were previously caused by food shortages.