WFP and LCIF announce $4 million for school feeding programme

Kathmandu, July 18

The World Food Program USA and Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF), the charitable arm of the Lions International, have announced a US$ 4 million partnership in support of the United Nations World Food Programme’s (WFP) Homegrown School Feeding (HGSF) Programme in four countries, including Nepal.

Both organisations are contributing USD $2 million each to the project. In Nepal, this grant will support the Government's School Feeding Programme (Mid-Day Meal Programme). This initiative will benefit approximately 90,000 students from grades 0-5 across 800 schools in the Surkhet and Jajarkot districts of Karnali Province.

"With support from LCIF and WFP USA, we are working to ensure regular access to nutritious and sufficient food for children in Nepal and people around the world," President of the Lions Clubs International, Fabrício Oliveira, said in a programme organised in Kathmandu on Thursday to announce the support.

According to the organisers, HGSF Programmes are a multisectoral game changer that have proven over decades to improve children’s education, health, and nutrition. When integrated into the local community, school meals benefit the entire community by providing an important safety net and by strengthening food systems and economies. "By further integrating with local small-scale farmers, local economies benefit, and a better-designed food system is created that also leads to impacts across gender, climate, and sustainability," read a statement issued by the WFP.

“Through homegrown school feeding, we are not only serving nutritious meals that are fresh from the farm to plates but also supporting local farmers and strengthening the community food system. I am confident that it will be catalytic in strengthening the home-grown school feeding approach in Karnali,” said WFP Nepal's Country Director, Robert Kasca.

WFP is the world’s largest provider of school meals, working with communities, governments, and private sector partners to ensure that all primary schoolchildren have access to good quality meals in schools. As part of this collaboration, WFP is engaging with Lions Clubs members in the region. Hunger is one of Lions International’s eight global causes. LCIF is the global foundation supporting the 1.4 million members of Lions Clubs International through grant funds that expand their compassionate works and empower their service at home and around the world. Since its founding in 1968, LCIF has awarded more than 20,000 grants totalling nearly US$1.3 billion, improving health and well-being, strengthening communities, and supporting those in need locally and globally.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 19 July 2024.