WFP and World Share come together to improve school feeding in rural Kyrgyzstan

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and World Share, an international NGO from the Republic of Korea, are implementing joint projects to help improve nutrition and food security for primary school children.

With technical support from WFP, World Share has provided industrial-standard electric stoves, ovens, refrigerators, and other cooking and kitchen equipment to schools to be used to prepare school meals. In total, five schools in Issyk-Kul, Talas, and Osh provinces, with more than 1,250 primary school children, have received support.

“We strive to provide all primary schoolchildren of the Kyrgyz Republic, especially in remote and economically poor areas, with high-quality hot and diverse meals,” said Ram Saravanamuttu, WFP Country Director a.i. “The partnership with World Share will allow an expansion of the coverage of the school meals program so that more children can get nutritious meals in schools to enhance their health and development.”

“It is an honor for us to join efforts with WFP and promote the economic development of vulnerable regions for the well-being of rural communities, especially children,” said the country dierector of World Share in the Kyrgyz Republic Kim Young Soo.

The collaboration contributes to the National School Meals Optimization Programme supported by WFP. Launched in 2013, the program is supported by a wide range of stakeholders, including national and local authorities, communities, and donors. Currently, the program provides quality, nutritious hot meals to approximately 220,000 elementary school students in more than 800 schools across the Kyrgyz Republic.