This October, Michael Kors is excited to report measurable impact from its Watch Hunger Stop initiative’s efforts to fight hunger and create lasting change for women and children in Sri Lanka through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). As the company enters its third year of focused commitment to the region, we are pleased to share that 10 schools have been renovated with energy-efficient kitchens, cookware and solar panels, with another 20 set for completion over the next year.
Additionally, 1,500 local farmers and school meal caterers in eight districts have received support and tools to increase their vegetable and egg supplies, helping them to provide more nutrient-dense meals to 250,000 school children. Farmers and school meal caterers in two additional districts will receive funds over the next year, bringing the total number of home-grown school meals delivered by WFP in Sri Lanka to more than 16 million by the end of 2027.
Behind the numbers are the farmers and school meal caterers whose livelihoods have grown with the program. In Kilinochchi, a district in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, caterer Nagaraja Thilageswari uses water pumps, irrigation equipment and seeds provided through WFP to grow fresh vegetables that feed more than 300 children daily. Once a housewife, Thilageswari now manages her own farm, raises poultry and employs other women and agricultural workers.
In the Anuradhapura district, Indrani Kusumalatha received chicks, feed, irrigation equipment, gardening tools and fencing through WFP to establish a poultry farm and home garden that provide a steady income to support her family. “I’ve never seen this as just a job,” she says of preparing meals for 40 children at Mahameegaswewa School. “To me, it feels like preparing a meal for my own children with love.”
These individual stories reflect the larger goal of Michael Kors’ partnership with WFP: investing in the people and infrastructure that make school meals possible. Home-grown school feeding generates reliable income, particularly for women, while strengthening local organic food systems that nourish school children so they can learn and thrive. “It’s incredible to see the results of our work with WFP and the impact it has had, and will continue to have, on the lives of so many women and children in Sri Lanka,” says designer Michael Kors. “I’m a very hands-on, solution-oriented person, and that’s one of the reasons I love working with WFP—they have the people in the field, they understand the needs and they’re committed to setting up the infrastructure needed to make lasting change.”
For the 2026 WATCH HUNGER STOP campaign, Michael Kors tapped artist Christina Zimpel to create an original illustration for a special-edition tote. The colorful artwork reflects the hope and optimism of WFP’s school meals program. Made from 100% recycled cotton, the tote is priced at $99.50, with all profits from its sale benefitting WFP.* It will be available beginning October 1st online and in select Michael Kors stores in the United States, Canada, Europe, Korea, Japan and China.
*For each Watch Hunger Stop T-shirt purchased from a Michael Kors retail store or official Michael Kors website, Michael Kors will donate 100% of profits (equivalent to U.S. $25) to WFP. Michael Kors has committed a minimum donation of $1 million to WFP through September 30, 2027. All funds raised will be donated to WFP USA, a 501(c)(3) US charity that supports the programs of WFP. WFP does not endorse any product or service.
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