Human Centred Design (HCD) is a set of approaches, methods, and mindsets that can be applied to create fit-for-purpose solutions (designed around the needs of the final user).
GAIN is committed to making social protection systems work harder for the nutrition and dietary resilience of the most vulnerable consumers using HCD.
In Ethiopia, children are a particularly vulnerable group when it comes to malnutrition – with 39% stunted, and 28% suffering from micronutrient deficiencies. Education and nutrition are intrinsically linked, with malnutrition having a harmful effect on academic performance as well as adult life (Ready to learn and thrive - School health and nutrition around the world, UNESCO, 2023).
Among the strategies taken on by the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) to change this, School Feeding has been adopted in various iterations. Homegrown School Feeding outlines the need for a balanced diet consisting of grains, industrial products (edible oil and iodized salt), root, tuber crops, vegetables and fruits, animal products, and more. Of these, animal-sourced products are the most financially demanding – though dairy presents a feasible and sustainable solution.
Taking learning from previous efforts to provide dairy in school-feeding programmes, GAIN and partners have used the HCD approach to craft 9 optimal models of implementation, of which one was selected. The selection of the school was based on the availability and space for a farm, access to water and forage protection, and existing communication with its leadership.
Based on these criteria, the project selected Mulugeta Geldie Primary School, Sheger City – where 480 (17 special needs) students will be provided with milk sourced from local suppliers, capacitated by GAIN.
On May 6, 2025 – GAIN held a launching workshop for the pilot project in Bishoftu, Ethiopia along with project partners and key stakeholders. Following presentations on the project and the HCD approach, participants shared their reflections on the way forward, within and beyond the project.
A working group has been organised with government and non-government representation to support and monitor the project, which is set to start the dairy supply by June. The pilot project will continue to advocate for school feeding practices, and document learnings for sustainability.