With Russian funding, WFP and Sughd authorities inaugurate new bakery in support of school feeding in Tajikistan
DUSHANBE – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the local authorities of Sughd Region inaugurated a bakery in the town of Isfara today. This is the sixth such bakeries that WFP has renovated and built in the region with funding from the Russian Federation.
Representatives from WFP and the Russian Consulate in Sughd Region, along with officials of Sughd Region and Isfara town, participated in the inauguration ceremony. Freshly-made bread from these bakeries are now part of school meals that benefit more than 90,000 primary schoolchildren across 270 schools supported by WFP.
“Thanks to the financial support of the Russian Federation, and in partnership with the Russian Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute, we are able to carry out the bakery construction and renovation. Advanced technology and new equipment mean bread can now be made faster, cheaper and of better quality. Investments like these not only contribute to children’s health and development, but also provide more jobs for local communities whose lives have been impacted by the current socio-economic challenges in the country,” said WFP Representative, a.i., Hyun Ji (Angie) LEE.
Across the country, WFP has constructed and renovated a total of eight bakeries in partnership with the private sector, benefiting 114,000 primary schoolchildren in 340 schools. The bakeries are in Panj, Yovon districts in Khatlon Region, and Bobojon Ghafurov, Spitamen, Jabbor Rasulov, Devastich districts, and Istaravshan and Isfara towns in Sughd Region,
School feeding is WFP's largest operation in Tajikistan, supporting half a million young students in 2,000 schools across 52 rural districts and towns. For many vulnerable families and communities, healthy and nutritious school meals are often the only reliable source of food for their children. Evidence has shown that school meals contribute to better nutrition, improved health as well as increased access to education for children.
Since 1999, the World Food Programme has been collaborating with the Government of Tajikistan to improve the national school feeding system. This reflects WFP's strong commitment to changing the lives of the country's population for the better.
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