The awards ceremony for the winners of the Reality Show Vida de Merendeira 2024 took place on 29 May in Brasília, during the opening of the Midwest Regional Seminar, a two-day event aimed at the region’s cooks and nutritionists.
The Reality TV show Vida de Merendeira 2024 is an initiative of the National Education Development Fund (FNDE) and the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), in partnership with the WFP Centre of Excellence against Hunger in Brazil, and was created to promote the work of school cooks, professionals who transform school meals into an instrument of care and education.
Three pairs made up of cooks and nutritionists were honoured and awarded prizes for their good practices in school feeding.
The first place winner was Josefa Graciane Ribeiro, Graci, from Limoeiro de Anadia (AL), a school cook at the Prefeito Pedro Ferreira da Silva Municipal School of Education. She has been working in the area since 2021 and stood out for her care and organisation in preparing the meals and the proposal of an innovative recipe that includes a typical ingredient from her region, licuri. Graci was with nutritionist Janaina Barbosa, who has been responsible for the municipality’s school meals since 2013.
In second place, Leila Rojas, who works at the Nossa Senhora Aparecida Municipal School in Cáceres (MT), was awarded the prize. Born in Bolivia, Leila lives in the rural area of the city and has been a lunch lady since 2019. She is a partner of nutritionist Elianne Pires, who has been working with the National School Feeding Programme (PNAE) since 2018 and is recognised for her work in rural communities and her links with family farming.
Third place went to young school cook Sarah Santos, from Varginha (MG), who works at the São José Municipal School. At just 26 years old, Sarah emphasises the importance of care and responsibility on a daily basis in the school kitchen. Alongside her, nutritionist Marcélia Prado contributes her extensive experience in school meals and food safety councils.
The cooks and nutritionists received cash prizes. The top three cooks won R$25,000, R$15,000 and R$10,000. The three winning nutritionists won R$5,000 each.
For the president of the FNDE, Fernanda Pacobahyba, the recognition is a way of valuing the essential link in public education: “These women represent excellence and commitment to school feeding. Rewarding this work is valuing the foundation that sustains our students’ learning.”
The director of the WFP Centre of Excellence against Hunger in Brazil, Daniel Balaban, highlighted the social impact of the reality show Vida de Merendeira: “School feeding is more than a meal – it’s a strategic public policy. This reality show shows how the dedication of cooks and nutritionists transforms lives and strengthens entire communities.”
The initiative reinforces the importance of different professionals working together to guarantee healthy, safe and culturally appropriate meals for children in the public school system. Watch the episodes of Vida de Merendeira 2024 and find out more in an interview with Graci, winner of the reality show Vida de Merendeira 2024.