In many communities across Rwanda, a child’s entire daily meal often consists of beans and rice — sometimes topped with an unidentifiable addition, or sometimes with nothing at all. This basic dish is prepared differently than in many other cultures. The rice is well-cooked, almost textbook perfect, while the beans are served as a staple of survival, not flavor. There are no multiple courses or variety — just one plate. Enough to stay alive. Barely.

For children supported by Signpost for Africa, this daily meal is a guarantee. But for countless others outside the program, food may only come two or three times a week. In places where abundance seems like a foreign concept, these simple meals carry the weight of survival.

When Signpost for Africa first took over management of a local preschool, the children were living on small cups of watery porridge — a 200ml portion meant to last an entire day. While preschools offered at least that, many schools offered nothing at all.

The local principal initially defended the situation: “But… they are eating.”
Signpost for Africa challenged that notion. Children need more than subsistence — they need nourishment, growth, and care. A new standard was introduced: milk, boiled eggs, bananas, cookies, and a rotation of fresh fruit.

Despite cultural norms that saw porridge as a high standard, Signpost for Africa insisted that children deserved better. Malnutrition — particularly in the form of bloated stomachs caused by gas and hunger — was simply too common to ignore.

Today, thanks to these efforts, the children at Signpost for Africa preschools now enjoy a variety of foods. For many, it’s the first time tasting a cookie, an egg, or even milk.

And yet, despite the progress, the need remains staggering. While one group of children begins to thrive, thousands of others still go without. Signpost for Africa is working tirelessly to expand its reach — feeding more children every day — but in a world where hunger moves fast, even the fastest response can feel too slow.

This is the reality. And this is the urgency.