Japan and WFP join hands to tackle food insecurity and promote education in Sierra Leone
FREETOWN – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today welcomes a JPY 200 million (approx. US$ 1.36 million) contribution from the Government of Japan to support 28,800 primary school children in Pujehun district during the 2024-2025 school year.
With this contribution, WFP will provide daily hot and nutritious meals made from Japanese rice along with fresh vegetables that will be locally procured from smallholder farmers. The assistance will target 137 government-owned and government-supported primary schools across six chiefdoms facing acute food insecurity and prone to climate shocks.
“The Government of Japan aims for this contribution to help address food insecurity and enhance education in the Pujehun district, aligning with the government’s human capital development efforts through the Free Quality Initiative,” said Hisanobu Mochizuki, Ambassador of Japan to Sierra Leone.
Japan has been WFP’s second largest donor over the past five years, providing consistent food assistance through WFP for nearly US$15 million.
“This donation confirms the Government of Japan’s commitment to improving educational outcomes in Sierra Leone. It ensures hunger does not stop children from learning and achieving their dreams,” said Yvonne Forsen, Representative and Country Director of WFP Sierra Leone.
# # #
WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change.
Follow us on X (previously Twitter) @wfp_media, @WFP_WAfrica