UNICEF Gifts 1,000 Care Packages to Feeding Programme Recipients
This morning, UNICEF handed over a thousand boxes of food and hygiene items to the Ministry of Education. The hampers are for underprivileged students who are enrolled in the government’s primary school feeding programme. News Five was at today’s handing over ceremony. Here’s the story.
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
There are primary school students who are experiencing extreme hardships because of the closure of schools. That’s because these students depend on their school’s feeding programme. Without it, they may go hungry all day. But UNICEF has stepped up to help provide meals for them. Today, Michel Guinand, Officer in Charge at UNICEF Belize handed over one thousand care packages to the Ministry of Education.
Michel Guinand
Michel Guinand, Officer in Charge, UNICEF Belize
“It is very important that all students can continue to learn and that is why we are now supporting the ministry in providing a thousand hamper kits as a support to the school feeding program, as a way to ensure that the students will be able to continue the learning process.”
The government’s primary school feeding programme currently has 1400 students enrolled. This donation, however, will be given to one thousand of the neediest students of the programme in the Stann Creek District, Belize District and Belize City. The families will collect the packages from the schools.
Carol Babb
Dr. Carol Babb, Chief Education Officer
“This is intended for students who are on the school feeding programme sponsored by the Ministry of Education. So, students who are from the Belize District, Belize City and from the Stann Creek district will benefit. As a result of school being closed at this time, we want to ensure that the children are eating properly. We know for a fact that these children were on the feeding programme because their parents were having a hard time financially. So, as you know many of their parents may not have employment at this time, so we have approached UNICEF and they have delivered. These boxes have in fruits, vegetables, hygiene products, as well as other items valuing over a hundred dollars per box. This is intended for students who are in the school feeding programme sponsored by the Ministry of Education.”
The value of the thousand nutrition and hygiene packages is around hundred and forty six-thousand Belize dollars. Denise Robateau of UNICEF says that a single box, valued over one hundred dollars, is expected to last a family of four for about a week. Each family also received pamphlets with information and tips to help make the most out of their care hampers.
Denise Robateau
Denise Robateau, Early Childhood Dev. & Education Officer, UNICEF Belize
“The content of the kit is looking at hygiene needs of a family of about four and the nutrition contents would cover a family for approximately a week or so. We are providing a thousand kits to support the children on the feeding programme. We do know that within one family there are more than one child, so in effect, I believe we will be reaching more than one thousand children. Within each package and box, we put in a flyer on nutrition tips to support a health immune system. We have a nutrition consultant at UNICEF and we have been working with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture on a sustainable school feeding committee and so we do have nutrition tips and we have some hygiene tips and tips for healthy preparation and tips even if you are breast-feeding to ensure that breastfeeding continues this time throughout the emergency and some helpful recipes that can be used.”
Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.
