Kingdom of Saudi Arabia provides dates to support school feeding in South Sudan
JUBA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has today received a contribution of dates worth US$160,000 from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for use in its school feeding activities in South Sudan.
The dates, rich in nutrients, will be used to complement meals provided to some 15,000 school going children in over 25 schools in the Greater Upper Nile region of South Sudan.
According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) update, between now and the end of the year some 4.5 million people in South Sudan cannot put food on their tables. The Greater Upper Nile continues to be the most food insecure area, and in need of urgent humanitarian support to save people’s lives, especially in the wake of recent flooding in parts of the region.
“WFP is grateful to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this timely gesture,” said Matthew Hollingworth WFP’s Country Director in South Sudan. “The dates are not only a healthy snack but will give the much-needed dietary support to school children receiving school meals. Providing meals in schools is the best opportunity children can access to education, health and nutrition at the same time.”
South Sudan has the highest proportion of out-of-school children in the world with around 2.2 million children not enrolled in schools, partly due to food insecurity in their communities. WFP is providing school meals to some 500,000 school children in 1,045 schools across the country and provides take home food packages to encourage parents to send and keep children in schools.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an important partner to WFP, contributing assistance to a wide range of crises across the world. In 2018, WFP received US$ 239.4 million from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to support its activities across the world.
# # #
The United Nations World Food Programme - saving lives in emergencies and changing lives for millions through sustainable development. WFP works in more than 80 countries around the world, feeding people caught in conflict and disasters, and laying the foundations for a better future.
Follow us on Twitter: @WFP_SouthSudan