- January 30, 2025
Over more than a decade, the School Feeding Program has evolved beyond merely providing daily meals to students. It has transformed into a vital initiative that generates waves of positive change, not only by offering children healthy, balanced meals but also by driving socio-economic progress in communities.
Across Armenia’s regions, the program has created numerous job opportunities, particularly for women from vulnerable families. Many of the chefs involved in the program are parents of the students, while others are single mothers, displaced women from Artsakh, or individuals from socially disadvantaged and large families. Before joining the program, most women had neither employment opportunities nor access to educational programs. For them, the School Feeding Program has been a unique chance to enhance their skills and secure stable jobs.
One of the program’s key strategic goals is the professional development of chefs and the gradual introduction of requirements for specialization and certification for school cooking positions. The program envisions engaging only professional specialists in preparing school meals. To achieve this, during the summer, the School Feeding and Child Welfare Agency (SFCW) piloted an advanced education certification course titled School Chef Certification. Following the evaluation of these results and future successes, the program implementers foresee this certification becoming an accessible and manageable minimum qualification for women in communities who wish to work in the School Feeding Program. Additionally, this initiative would serve as an incentive and opportunity for these vulnerable women to integrate into the system and, in the long run, become competitive in the labor market.
In collaboration with college specialists in Armenia, the WFP, and the Russian Foodservice Institute, the SFCW developed a 76-hour certification course. This course was piloted last summer in four colleges across the country. Due to limited funding, only 75 chefs were selected to participate, with their tuition costs covered by the SFCW budget allocated in its annual work plan. To support the colleges, the SFCW provided methodological assistance, organized study visits, and supplied the necessary material and technical resources to ensure the proper organization of the training.
The demand for participation in the certification course far exceeded expectations. A total of 247 chefs applied, 115 of whom participated in selection interviews. Based on the commission’s decision, the top 75 candidates with the highest scores were included in the pilot course. Initial feedback from participants indicates a high level of satisfaction with the program. The chefs noted that the course would enhance their professional status, making them more skilled and competitive. While the program covers tuition costs, participants bear their travel and accommodation expenses. The colleges conduct the training, while the SFCW staff handles the recruitment and other organizational matters.
The SFCW aims to continue and expand the School Chef Certification program, providing more chefs the opportunity to undergo professional training. The agency is actively seeking partners to ensure the sustainability and growth of this important initiative.