UN WFP and Good Neighbors International help schools provide better nutrition for children
ESHPEROV – A pilot greenhouse project to supplement school meals with locally-grown fresh vegetables was launched today at Dogdurov school in Eshperov village of Issyk-Kul province. The programme aims to strengthen the capacity of all Kyrgyz primary schools to prepare and serve fresh and nutritious meals throughout the country.
The initiative is a partnership of the Issyk Kul Regional Development Foundation, Good Neighbors International in the Kyrgyz Republic, and the United Nations World Food Programme’s Optimising the National School Meals programme for the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic.
The Partners supported the construction of the greenhouse to ensure that the children can enjoy organic vegetables also in the seasons when fresh fruits and vegetables are scarcely available. To make the best use of the fresh produce grown in their backyard, the staff at the schools and cooks were trained in nutrition, menu development and were offered the possibility to improve their cooking skills.
The new greenhouse is built on modern and eco-friendly technologies, heated mainly on solar energy. The energy-saving constructions are not only financially efficient, also important for environmental sustainability. Based on the good results of this pilot initiative, similar facilities in other schools across the country will be launched.
“High-quality school meals are essential for feeding children’s minds,” - said Andrea Bagnoli, WFP Country Director for Kyrgyz Republic. “Thanks to this partnership with Good Neighbors International in the Kyrgyz Republic, all together we went a step ahead to bringing the school table the fresh nutritious vegetables grown directly in the school year, all year around, also in winter.”
“We are proud that we can contribute to the development of school nutrition in Kyrgyzstan and to the raising upbringing of a healthy and successful generation,” said the Director of Good Neighbors International in the Kyrgyz Republic, Mr. Chun Hong Soo. “The success of our cooperation at Dogdurov school inspires us for new joint projects.”
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The United Nations World Food Programme is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. We are the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
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For more information about UN WFP in the Kyrgyz Republic, contact Aichurek Zhunusova at tel.: 0550 940 416 (mobile) or (312) 660033.
Good Neighbors International is an international humanitarian non-governmental organization with general consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Founded in 1991, the organization implements and initiates social development projects in 35 countries around the world, whose goal is to improve the quality of life and provide access to education.
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