Princess Sarah Zeid of Jordan supports government of Burundi and WFP to improve mother and child health
BUJUMBURA - The World Food Programme (WFP) Special Advisor on Mother and Child Health and Nutrition, Her Royal Highness Princess Sarah Zeid of Jordan, visited Burundi for a week to encourage the mission of the government and WFP to improve the nutritional health of mothers and children.
“These young children are the hope of this country and ensuring their nutritional health is to preserve the future of Burundi,” said Princess Sarah at a project to treat malnutrition among children under two years of age in Mivo commune, Ngozi province.
Her visit coincided with World Food Day on 16 October and also aimed to increase the visibility of projects that aim to support the nutritional needs of the people of Burundi.
With Her Excellency the First Lady of Burundi, Mrs. Angeline Ndayishimiye, who is also the school feeding programme patron, Princess Sarah visited two schools assisted by WFP in Bujumbura Rural (Kabezi) and Gitega (Mutaho) provinces. They also visited a milk collection centre supported by WFP to strengthen the milk value chain in Burundi.
The Princess visited a cooperative from which WFP buys food for the Home-Grown School Meals Programme, which injected US$19 million into the economy since 2014.
The WFP special advisor met the “Mothers of Lights” at Busoni commune in Kirundo province who run a malnutrition prevention programme and discussed its impact.
In meetings with the country's top decision makers and stakeholders, such us with the President of the Republic, His Excellency Evariste Ndayishimiye, the Princess encouraged partners focusing on the fight against malnutrition. She pointed out WFP’s commitment to support the Government, so every child has a good nutritional status.
With WFP Representative Housainou Taal, the Princess also met the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Albert Shingiro, the UN Resident Coordinator and donor representatives and discussed partnerships with WFP to strengthen the fight against malnutrition.
WFP's activities in Burundi include distributing meals to schoolchildren and specialized nutritious food to children under 2 years of age and pregnant or nursing women and providing technical support to smallholder farmers and promoting gender equality.
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