Deadline: 10-Jan-2026

The World Food Programme (WFP) is inviting partners to support its school feeding programme across seven districts in Lesotho. Partners will manage food delivery, logistics, documentation, and community engagement to ensure students receive nutritious daily meals. This opportunity strengthens education, nutrition, and local participation in school feeding systems.

Overview

The World Food Programme (WFP) is seeking cooperating partners to implement and support school feeding activities across multiple districts in Lesotho. The initiative aims to improve child nutrition, enhance learning outcomes, and strengthen local involvement in school-based nutrition programmes. Operations will cover Thaba-Tseka, Mokhotlong, Mohale’s Hoek, Maseru, Qacha’s Nek, Botha-Bothe, and Quthing.

Programme Objectives

Improve access to nutritious school meals for children across targeted districts.
Enhance logistics operations to ensure timely and safe delivery of food supplies.
Promote better nutrition and dietary practices among schoolchildren.
Strengthen community engagement and ownership of school feeding initiatives.
Ensure transparent, accurate reporting and evidence generation for advocacy.

Key Components of the Programme

1. Education and School Meals Delivery

• Provide daily nutritious meals that support children’s learning and development.
• Ensure all food commodities reach schools on time and in the correct quantities.
• Support school administrators and teachers in monitoring meal usage and needs.

2. Logistics and Operations Management

• Manage distribution of food commodities and essential supplies across all districts.
• Conduct last-mile delivery to schools and ECCD Centres.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene, and storage throughout the supply chain.
• Oversee operations management, coordination, and supply-chain support.

3. Nutrition Support and Healthy Eating Promotion

• Address students’ general dietary needs and encourage balanced nutrition.
• Improve the nutritional value of meals delivered through proper planning and food handling.
• Support schools and communities with guidance on healthy dietary practices.

4. Monitoring, Documentation, and Reporting

• Record food deliveries, stock levels, and consumption at school level.
• Cross-verify school records with data from storage facilities and ECCD Centres.
• Collect, compile, and report monthly programme data for performance tracking.
• Provide timely, accurate reports to support advocacy and resource mobilization.

5. Community Engagement and Ownership

• Mobilize parents, schools, and community members to participate in school feeding activities.
• Strengthen local committees and structures responsible for oversight.
• Promote shared responsibility for children’s wellbeing and educational success.

Who Is Eligible?

Organizations with the following qualifications are ideal candidates:
• Experience in school feeding, nutrition, logistics, education, or humanitarian programming.
• Capacity to manage supply chains, food safety standards, and operations in rural settings.
• Presence in Lesotho or ability to mobilize teams in the seven targeted districts.
• Strong monitoring, reporting, and documentation systems.
• Ability to engage with local communities and coordinate with government structures.

Why This Opportunity Matters

Improves children’s access to reliable daily nutrition.
Enhances educational outcomes by reducing hunger-related absenteeism.
Strengthens the national school feeding system through better logistics.
Empowers communities to take an active role in child development.
Supports policy dialogue and evidence-based decision-making through consistent reporting.

How to Apply (General Guidance)

1. Register as a WFP Partner

• Sign up or update your profile on the UN Partner Portal.
• Upload legal, financial, and organizational compliance documents.

2. Prepare a Comprehensive Technical Proposal

Include details on:
• Logistics capacity and delivery methodology
• Food safety and hygiene management
• Monitoring and reporting systems
• Community engagement strategies
• Staffing and district-level staffing plans

3. Submit a Financial Proposal

• Provide a detailed budget with clear cost breakdowns.
• Ensure alignment with WFP financial procedures and accountability standards.

4. Supporting Documentation

Organizations typically submit:

1. Organizational profile

2. Past project references

3. Key staff CVs

4. Monitoring and evaluation framework

5. Risk mitigation and contingency strategies

6. Evidence of local partnerships, if any

5. Evaluation Criteria

WFP will review applications based on:
• Technical expertise and operational capacity
• Cost-effectiveness
• Ability to meet food safety requirements
• Experience in similar programmes
• Strength of community engagement plans

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Incomplete or inconsistent documentation of food deliveries
• Weak logistics systems or unreliable distribution timelines
• Insufficient monitoring mechanisms
• Lack of demonstrated community participation strategies
• Failure to ensure food safety or hygiene standards

FAQ

1. Which districts are included?
Thaba-Tseka, Mokhotlong, Mohale’s Hoek, Maseru, Qacha’s Nek, Botha-Bothe, and Quthing.

2. What is the partner primarily responsible for?
Food distribution, logistics support, documentation, reporting, and community engagement.

3. Are ECCD Centres involved?
Yes, documentation and verification will align with data from ECCD Centres and storage facilities.

4. How often must partners report?
Monthly data collection and reporting are mandatory.

5. Does the partner need logistics capacity?
Yes, including last-mile delivery and supply-chain management.

6. Do partners need experience in nutrition?
Experience in nutrition or school feeding programmes is highly beneficial.

7. Is community involvement required?
Yes, strengthening local participation is a key part of the programme.

Conclusion

This WFP partnership opportunity in Lesotho plays a vital role in improving child nutrition, strengthening school feeding systems, and enhancing educational outcomes across seven districts. By supporting logistics, nutrition, monitoring, and community engagement, selected partners will contribute significantly to the wellbeing and development of children throughout the country.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.