WFP hails $3.5m funds from Indonesia to support school meals in Afghanistan

By Anjali Sharma

UNITED NATIONS – World Food Programme on Wednesday welcomed a contribution of $3.5 million from the Government of Indonesia to support the agency’s school meal programme in Afghanistan, in  apress release issued in New York.

WFP plans to procure over 1,200 metric tons of fortified biscuits, which will provide 200,000 primary school-aged girls and boys with sustenance for around three months.

Mutinta Chimuka, Deputy Country Director for WFP in Afghanistan said “For many children, the daily snack they receive in the first break of the day is often their only nutritious meal, giving them the energy to stay healthy, focused, and ready to learn.”

 “WFP in Afghanistan launched its school feeding programme more than two decades ago to link food security and better nutrition with education,” said Ms. Chimuka.

WFP noted that school feeding activities have played a crucial role in improving attendance, retention and learning outcomes.

She said that primary schools participating in the programme saw enrollment increase by11 percent in 2024 compared to 2023, while attendance also improved, reached an average of 87 per cent in the classroom, two percentage points above WFP’s target.