World Porridge Day highlights feeding the planet’s poorest children nourishing breakfasts so they go to school

Many Americans grew up on a bowl of Quaker Oats in the morning. Children in Malawi grow up on porridge too – but theirs is likuni phala, a corn-soya blend fortified with vitamins and minerals.

Whatever it’s made of, porridge is one of the world’s go-to ways to start the day with a nourishing meal.

The Scotland-based charity Mary’s Meals reaches more than 3 million children with daily school meals in 16 countries and, wherever possible, makes the meals with locally procured food, supporting the local economy. The charity says it costs about 13 cents per meal, or about $25 to feed a child for a full school year.

The charity is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus. Its founders are Catholic, although it is not an official Catholic organization.

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People have made porridge for thousands of years, but the first World Porridge Day was held on Oct. 10, 2009, by Mary’s Meals. The charity says around 78 million children of primary-school age are out of school worldwide – and that the promise of a daily meal is one of the strongest