In 2013, Gerard Butler travelled to Liberia to serve school meals with a charity he supports; it has delivered more than 260 million meals since 2006 and now feeds over 95,000 children every school day

Gerard Butler visited Liberia in 2013; Mary’s Meals now feeds 95,000 children daily (Image Credit: Mary’s Meals)

When actor Gerard Butler travelled to Liberia in 2013 to meet children and communities supported by a charity he champions, the visit offered a glimpse into how a daily school meal could make a difference in a country recovering from years of conflict. Thirteen years later, that effort has grown into a long-running school feeding programme that has delivered more than 260 million meals to children across Liberia.According to Mary’s Meals, which marked 20 years of its school feeding programme in Liberia in October 2026, more than 95,000 children now receive meals through the charity every school day. The organisation began providing school meals in the country in 2006, building on earlier emergency relief work during and after Liberia’s civil war. Butler, a long-time supporter of the charity, has helped raise awareness of its work through visits to communities in Liberia and Haiti.

How a request for food led to a school feeding programme

Mary’s Meals’ work in Liberia has roots in the humanitarian response to the country’s civil war. The conflict devastated communities, damaged schools and left many children displaced, hungry and vulnerable. Some children had been recruited as child soldiers, while others had lost their homes and access to education. Father Garry Jenkins, an English priest who had lived in Liberia since 1973 and founded St Dominic’s Catholic School, sought help for children who needed both food and a safe place to learn. When conventional aid channels appeared too slow, he contacted Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, the founder of the organisation that became Mary’s Meals.MacFarlane-Barrow encouraged him to buy rice in Monrovia, promising to reimburse the cost. The early assistance included food shipments sent under the name Scottish International Relief, the charity’s predecessor. Mary’s Meals later introduced its school feeding programme in Liberia in 2006. The idea was straightforward: provide children with a nutritious meal at school, helping address immediate hunger while encouraging families to send them to class. Over time, the programme developed into a partnership involving schools, local communities, volunteers and supporters.

Gerard Butler’s connection with Mary’s Meals

Butler, the Scottish actor known for films including 300 and Olympus Has Fallen, became involved with Mary’s Meals after presenting its founder, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, with a CNN Heroes award in 2010. In 2020, Butler received the Cinema for Peace Honorary Award in recognition of his work with the charity. His support subsequently included visits to Liberia and Haiti, where he met children and communities benefiting from the school feeding programme. The charity said his involvement helped bring international attention to its work and inspired people to support its mission.The award was presented at a ceremony in Berlin on 23 February 2020. Butler described his involvement as a privilege, saying that providing food while children learn was a simple intervention capable of transforming lives. His association with the charity has helped connect its work on the ground with a wider international audience.

More than 260 million meals over two decades

Mary’s Meals says its programme has provided more than 260 million school meals in Liberia since school feeding began in 2006. The charity now reaches more than 95,000 children every school day, with local volunteers preparing and serving meals in schools. The programme operates across Bong, Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu and Montserrado counties. Many of the schools it supports are in remote communities, where poor road access can make food deliveries particularly difficult during the rainy season.Rice and peas are among the typical meals served. The organisation aims to source food locally where possible, although supplies sometimes have to be ordered from farther away and well in advance to ensure that schools receive enough food. The charity’s approach links nutrition with education. A meal at school can provide an immediate source of nourishment while giving children and families an additional reason to attend classes regularly. Local volunteers also help keep the programme rooted in the communities it serves.

Why the work remains important in Liberia

Despite two decades of school feeding, Liberia continues to face serious challenges linked to poverty, food insecurity and access to education. The country is still dealing with the long-term effects of civil conflict and disease outbreaks, while many communities lack sufficient educational resources. Mary’s Meals says more than half of Liberia’s population lives in poverty and highlights the continuing need to support children who struggle to obtain enough food. The charity’s local partners have also stressed the importance of keeping schools safe and accessible, particularly for children in vulnerable communities. The organisation estimates that £19.15 can provide a child with school meals for an entire year in Liberia and other countries where it operates. Its work now extends to 16 countries, with more than three million children receiving meals every school day worldwide.From emergency food assistance during a period of conflict to a programme serving tens of thousands of children daily, Mary’s Meals has built a sustained presence in Liberia. Butler’s involvement has helped draw attention to that work, while the charity’s anniversary highlights the continuing role of school meals in supporting children’s nutrition and access to education.