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3mn school children to get WFP biscuits


Published : 19 May 2020 09:34 PM | Updated : 05 Sep 2020 11:40 AM

About 3 million children affected by the school closures due to Covid-19 in Bangladesh will get high-energy biscuits of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

They are targeting to those children who are missing out on their school meals due to school closures caused by the spread of the coronavirus.

The WFP says they are working with the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education to distribute food rations to those children.
“COVID-19 has affected thousands of families’ access to affordable, nutritious food,” said Md. Akram Al Hossain, Secretary for Primary and Mass Education.

“With our partnership with WFP, we are protecting vulnerable children from malnutrition and also helping their families cope with the impact of the crisis by sending food to their homes,” he said.

WFP Country Director in Bangladesh Richard Ragan said in this challenging time, it is imperative to ensure that school children and their families continue to receive support that addresses their food and nutritional needs.

“We thank the Government for keeping this crucial source of nutrition available to children by making this adjustment to its school feeding programme.”
From now until the end of June, more than 7,400 MT of high-energy biscuits will be delivered to children at home.

Children from 15,200 primary schools across 104 upazilas of the country will receive 75-gram packets of biscuits, with WFP distributing them in 10 upazilas of Cox’s Bazar and the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and Directorate of Primary Education in 94 upazilas.

High-energy biscuits are rich in vitamins and nutrients which are essential for their growth and development.