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The Ministry of Education (MINED) with the help of The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Nicaragua inaugurated the first distribution of food from the “Programa Nacional de Alimentación Escolar” (National School meal program) that attends to thousands of pre-school and elementary aged children in public schools throughout Nicaragua.
MANAGUA- This first distribution included 168 quintals (5,823 metric tonnes) of rice, beans, corn, flour, vegetable oil and fortified cereal to cover the necessities during February, March, and April. The foods will be transferred in 265 trucks to 153 municipalities throughout the country.
"This program forms part of the government's efforts in order to improve food security of Nicaraguan children and is internationally recognized for the level of organization among communities, families and schools", expressed Minister of Education, Miriam Raudez during the opening ceremony held at a warehouse of Empresa Nicaragüense de Alimentos Básicos (Government-owned enterprise devoted to internal trade) in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua.
According to the minister, the cost of the first of the three deliveries that are to be made annually is 173 million córdobas (roughly 6,800,000 USD).
"WFP is proud to participate in this grand collaboration under the leadership of the government with the help of the international community and the private sector, united by goodwill so that the children can eat well and learn better" said WFP representative, Helmut W. Rauch.
WFP contributed 21,466 quintals (974 metric tonnes) of foods donated from the international community to the national school feeding program in order to help 154,000 children in the areas of Nicaragua with the least food security; la Región Autónoma de Atlántico Norte (North Atlantic Autonomous Region, RAAN), Matagalpa, and Jinotega. WFP also provides technical assistance within the logistics of planning transportation in order to assure that the food arrives securely and timely to the schools. The total contribution of WFP is valued at 1,053,000 USD.
