School meals blogger Martha visits Africa to meet children she has helped

She was taken yesterday to a remote village south of Blantyre where families rely on handouts to survive.

Along with her family, Martha met ten-year-old Ben Ali, who, along with 450 other children at his local school, relies on Mary’s Meals for his daily food.

She spent the day chatting to fellow schoolchildren and hearing about their lives. She also took a few lessons with them.

On her blog, NeverSeconds, the youngster’s father wrote:  “All going well. Amazing families we’re meeting. Kids are all playing together. Mary’s Meals making huge difference here. 6p a meal is all.”

Martha’s blog became an internet sensation after Argyll and Bute Council banned her from posting photos of her meals at Lochgilphead Primary School. The ban was later overturned after a storm of protest.

On her blog, she gives each meal a “food-o-meter” and health rating, and counts the number of mouthfuls it takes her to eat it. After she raised more than £100,000 for Mary’s Meals, the charity announced it would build a school kitchen in her honour. Mary’s Meals is a Scottish charity which runs school feeding projects providing meals to children in Malawi and many other countries.

Lirangwe Primary School, in Blantyre, has received £21,000 towards the Friends of NeverSeconds kitchen which will provide almost 2,000 children with meals every day for a year.

Martha and her family are in the country to see for themselves how her blog has changed the lives of others.

Writing on her blog before heading off, she said: “I have been talking to lots of people about going to Malawi. I am  excited about it. I can’t wait to meet all the children. I have packed some footballs and wind-up torches.”

Although she is in Africa, the nine-year-old is still reviewing her lunches. She took photographs of her food on the flight to Blantyre and said she would be posting them to her blog.