I can only afford to send my son to school because of Mary's Meals help

MATEYO Banda is breaking the mould in his family at just 10 by getting an education - thanks to a daily bowl of porridge.

- Steph Spyro

His siblings were forced to leave school because farmer mum Cara couldn't afford the bills.

But Mateyo, the youngest, continues to attend Nsefu Primary School in Zambia because of a 10p bowl of cereal from UK charity Mary's Meals.

Cara said: "The other children used to be at school here but they decided to stop because of a lack of costs needed for school like paying for uniforms and books.

"It helps that education is free now but there's still high costs involved. I lost my father when I - was very young. That put pressure on my mother to take us to school so I quit at grade two...grade two is the same as grade zero."

Her husband is sick and unable to work, adding to the pressure on her, from regularly taking him to a clinic on a bicycle to providing for their kids.

She said: "It's brought a big burden on me. I also have to take Mateyo to school. The pressure is stressful.