In Lao PDR, 44 percent of children under 5 years of age are stunted as a result of a poor diet, often lacking in essential micronutrients, fats and proteins as well as experiencing recurrent illness.
COVID-19: Missing More Than a Classroom notes that 370 million children worldwide – many of whom are reliant on school meals as a key source of their daily nutrition – have missed 40 per cent of in-school meals, on average, since COVID-19 restrictions shuttered classrooms.
“Despite clear evidence that schools are not primary drivers of COVID-19 infections, millions of children
The Tamwini app allows families to easily update – directly on their smartphones – their information for the Public Distribution System for food rations (PDS).
“The Ministry of Education is a longstanding champion of school nutrition, which is a pillar to help children stay in learning. It is proven that the school feeding programme is vital for achieving success in education, strengthening children’s focus and mental capacity.
Countries can still deliver on the pledge to achieve zero hunger by 2030 despite the seismic events of the past year and the outbreak or threat of famine across multiple countries – this is the main message emerging from the World Food Programme (WFP)’s Annual Review for 2020.
“The challenges of COVID-19 have been immense, but WFP’s determination to save lives and chan
“I am heartbroken at what we’re facing in 2021. We now have four countries where famine-like conditions are present,” said WFP’s Executive Director David Beasley addressing WFP’s Executive Board on 21 June.
“Meanwhile 41 million people are literally knocking on famine’s door. If you look at the numbers, it’s just tragic – these are real people with real names.
“I met women and children who were holding on for dear life, they’d walked for hours to get to our food distribution points. These were the ones who were healthy enough to make it,” said Beasley from a nutrition centre in the region.
“There have been back-to-back droughts in Madagascar which have pushed communities right to the very edge of starvation.
The handover ceremony was attended by WFP Representative and Country Director in Tajikistan Adham Musallam, Russian Ambassador to Tajikistan Igor Lyakin-Frolov and Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Tajikistan Sobirzoda Nurali Mirali.
The food assistance was purchased with funds from the Russian Federation, which allocated
US$5 million to improve food security in Tajikistan in 2021
Excerpts from ED David Beasley at High-Level Ministerial Event on Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan – Geneva, 13 Sept 2021
“14 million people – 1-in-3 – are marching to the brink of starvation – they don’t know where their next meal is.
Excerpts from David Beasley’s remarks at the High-Level Ministerial Event on Humanitarian Situation in Yemen – New York, 22 Sept 2021
“There’s good news and bad news actually.