Russia and WFP hand over another batch of food aid to Tajikistan

It was announced that another batch of food aid totaling 1,354 MT would soon arrive in the country. This food will be distributed among 2,000 rural schools in Tajikistan as part of the WFP School Feeding Programme, financed by the Russian Federation.

The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Tajikistan, Safarzoda Dilshod Ghani, Chargé d'Affaires of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Tajikistan Vera Valeryevna Khutorskaya and WFP Representative and Country Director in Tajikistan Adham Musallam.

“Thanks to the Russian food aid, children will receive not only knowledge but also delicious and healthy meals at school in the next academic year,” noted V.V. Khutorskaya in her speech. Alongside the food aid, the School Feeding Programme also includes the renovation of school canteens. 

“This year, we expanded this initiative to the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast. Local children will start the new school year and come to renovated canteens. In other regions of Tajikistan, we also continuously monitor and seek schools that can participate in our programme,” added V.V. Khutorskaya.

“Thanks to close cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan and continuous support from the Government of the Russian Federation, the implementation of the National School Feeding Programme contributes not only to improving the nutrition and health of schoolchildren but also to expanding access to education and achieving further learning success,” said Adham Musallam.

During the ceremony, issues related to food security, school feeding, and preparation for the new school year in schools were also discussed.

The School Feeding Programme is the largest project of the WFP in Tajikistan, funded by the Government of the Russian Federation since 2013. Within this programme, about 450,000 students in grades 1-4 from 2,000 schools in 53 districts and cities of the country receive regular hot meals.

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The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build peace, stability, and prosperity for people recovering from conflicts, disasters, and the impacts of climate change.

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For more information, contact:

Nasrullo Ramazonov, WFP/Dushanbe, mob. +992 900092987

Email: nasrullo.ramazonov@wfp.org