Rations included 25kg of rice, canned fish and vegetable oil. WFP
The World Food Programme (WFP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, on June 29 began delivering family food parcels to 39,650 targeted households in five provinces, expecting to help nearly 200,000 people.
The assistance is intended to benefit families that are identified as "vulnerable" by local authorities, hold the national IDPoor equity card and have children enrolled in the schools supported by the School Meals Programme managed by the WFP, with support from the ministry, the UN's food-assistance agency said in a June 29 press release.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the WFP added, the programme would provide nutritious and healthy meals to 223,000 children in 908 select schools in the provinces of Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Thom, Oddar Meanchey, Pursat and Siem Reap.
"Good nutrition is essential to children’s mental and physical development, and studies have shown that school meals increase students’ concentration and help them study more effectively, contributing to better educational outcomes while also relieving the economic burden on households.
"Since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak and related school closures, children have missed out on the nutritious cooked breakfasts.
"This has particularly impacted children from the poorest families, many of whom have also suffered from loss of income and livelihoods," it said.
WFP representative in Cambodia Claire Conan noted that the ongoing health crisis has markedly driven up social assistance needs, prompting the government to expand pertinent initiatives in recent months.
She said in the press release that the food distribution exercise would complement the government's social-assistance response and "contribute to meeting the needs of particularly vulnerable households and ensure that children do not miss out on food during this crisis".
"We are deeply grateful to all our partners for their support, especially [the ministry] and the National Social Protection Council,” Conan was quoted as saying.
The WFP noted that this is the fourth round of food distribution meant to blunt the economic fallout of the pandemic on vulnerable households.
"The distributions are conducted through school networks with support from Education Departments, school administrations, commune and village authorities as well as NGO partners," it said, adding that the parcels include 25kg of rice, canned fish and vegetable oil.
"WFP is also working closely with [the ministry] and other partners to improve school infrastructure and facilities as a preparedness measure for a safe return to school.
"The school feeding programme in Cambodia, including this special food distribution, is made possible with generous support from the Governments of Cambodia and Japan, Koica [Korea International Cooperation Agency] and the United States Department of Agriculture," the WFP added.
