16 May 2016

Tongan kids getting breakfast in school programme

3:26 pm on 16 May 2016

A doctor in Tonga is feeding around 150 children at a local primary school after discovering that many were going without breakfast.

Taniela Palu said the idea came after his seven-year-old granddaughter kept asking for a bigger school lunch.

It turns out she felt sorry for children who hadn't eaten and was sharing her food.

Now, Dr Palu's family serve cereal and milk to children that turn up at Kolomotu'a Primary School.

He said research showed breakfast was the most important meal of the day for children and aided a healthy brain and physical development.

Dr Palu said he wasn't worried about people abusing the programme.

"It is the reality of the life in Tonga. In communities like ours here, in other communities, people cannot all afford what is required to support their family and I'm just glad that the opportunity is there to help them."

Taniela Palu buys his milk locally and has an arrangement with Sanitarium in Auckland to provide discounted cereal.