WFP Welcomes Korea’s Contribution To Its School Meals Programme in The Gambia
BANJUL – The Republic of Korea has contributed more than $US300, 000 to the UN World Food Programme (WFP)’s School Meals Programme in The Gambia. This will make it possible for WFP to expand its community based cash transfer to schools and reach up to 20,000 students with daily hot meals for eight months.
The programme targets communities where markets are functional, yet access is limited by resources and food insecurity, and malnutrition and poverty rates are high.
About a tenth of the Gambian population is food insecure and the prevalence of global acute malnutrition (GAM) has increased to 10.3 percent, up from 9.9 percent in the 2012 survey (2015 SMART).
“We would like to express our gratitude to the Republic of Korea for the timely support received,” said Representative and Country Director, Angela Cespedes. “This will strengthen WFP’s capacity to keep children in school, especially in vulnerable communities, and to help them become better, more productive youths.”
Since the start of the pilot initiative, WFP in partnership with the Government of The Gambia and partners have been working with 24 communities and caterers to reach some 11,900 school children with daily meals, using locally available foods produced and prepared by the communities.
In January, WFP and partners plan to scale-up the assistance. The support of the Government of Korea will cover up to 83 percent of the total cash transfer needs.
Overall, more than 100, 000 school children in 368 schools in all six regions receive daily meals from WFP each year, with the support of the Gambian Government and donors like the Republic of Korea.
The Republic of Korea became one of WFP’s top 20 donors in 2015. It aspires to become a model donor that plays a leading role by sharing its own experience of combating hunger.
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WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries.
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For more information please contact (email address: firstname.lastname@wfp.org):
Isatou Njai, WFP/Banjul, Tel: +221-9988889
