PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Last minute funding to buy rice has allowed the U.N. World Food Program to resume free breakfast for hundreds of thousands of Cambodian children, the agency said Monday.
The program ended this month because of rising rice prices. But a $5.4 million infusion from WFP headquarters in Rome meant an extension through the end of the school year on July 5, said Paul Risley, a spokesman for the WFP in Bangkok.
Thomas Keusters, the WFP's program director for Cambodia, said he was "delighted" after receiving the news.
"We're going to deliver food to all 1,344 schools so that the school-feeding program can continue until the 5th of July," he said Monday.
Classes will resume in October and Keusters said the fate of the meal program "will very much depend on the donations we will receive in the coming weeks and months."
Facing a budget shortfall because of the rising cost of food, the U.N.'s food agency said three months ago that breakfast stocks at Cambodian schools would run out before mid-June. Five local suppliers defaulted on contracts to provide rice because they could get higher prices elsewhere, program officials said.
It was just one of many WFP programs facing cuts amid a $755 million shortfall in the U.N. agency's budget. But in recent days, the WFP received a $500 million donation from Saudi Arabia along with a total of $300 million from the United States, Australia and Europe.
Cambodian school officials, some of whom ended their program and others who were about to, expressed joy about the latest news.
"I am very happy if that is true," said Nheng Vorn, principal of Choumpou Proek school, about 40 miles west of the capital, Phnom Penh.
His school's rice supply ran out May 27, and the staff cooked the last 64 pounds of peas on Friday for the students.
About six miles from Nheng Vorn's school, the Sangkum Seksa school was set to end its meal program this week.
"But maybe there will be no need to close it if we will really get more rice," the school's principal Tan Sak said.
The program ended this month because of rising rice prices. But a $5.4 million infusion from WFP headquarters in Rome meant an extension through the end of the school year on July 5, said Paul Risley, a spokesman for the WFP in Bangkok.
Thomas Keusters, the WFP's program director for Cambodia, said he was "delighted" after receiving the news.
"We're going to deliver food to all 1,344 schools so that the school-feeding program can continue until the 5th of July," he said Monday.
Classes will resume in October and Keusters said the fate of the meal program "will very much depend on the donations we will receive in the coming weeks and months."
Facing a budget shortfall because of the rising cost of food, the U.N.'s food agency said three months ago that breakfast stocks at Cambodian schools would run out before mid-June. Five local suppliers defaulted on contracts to provide rice because they could get higher prices elsewhere, program officials said.
It was just one of many WFP programs facing cuts amid a $755 million shortfall in the U.N. agency's budget. But in recent days, the WFP received a $500 million donation from Saudi Arabia along with a total of $300 million from the United States, Australia and Europe.
Cambodian school officials, some of whom ended their program and others who were about to, expressed joy about the latest news.
"I am very happy if that is true," said Nheng Vorn, principal of Choumpou Proek school, about 40 miles west of the capital, Phnom Penh.
His school's rice supply ran out May 27, and the staff cooked the last 64 pounds of peas on Friday for the students.
About six miles from Nheng Vorn's school, the Sangkum Seksa school was set to end its meal program this week.
"But maybe there will be no need to close it if we will really get more rice," the school's principal Tan Sak said.
6 comments:
It takes the West to save these children from mass starvation. Hun Sen ought to be ashamed to let these children begged for food; ironically he passed the law to prohibit begging to survive. Hun Sen just give 1% of your Billions you've stolen from Khmers, and have a Heart to help.
Put your idiosyncratic ideology aside and HELP!
This dog don't have a heart , she is a killer who happy to see it own people to suffer , This moster with one eye had kill a lot of KHMER peoples during YOUN ivaded our country in it plan call (K 5)..what ever that one eye monster called.
HUN SICK give back all khmer money that you stolen from KHMER peoples. and STOP STOP build schools , pagodas , by using cambodia peoples money and pretend that you are a generouse person.
you are not a good person , you are a merderer,you are monster with one eye.
Thank you UN for my people(khmer people)
May God bless you and protect all UN in this world.
that's why it helps to bring in new idea for cambodian people as not everyone in cambodia were lucky enough to get western education. people in cambodia are starving for education like the one they have in the west that you and i were lucky to be educated about. if we were stuck in cambodia without a chance to study in the west, then we all would know any better either. so, it is a good idea to help education people in cambodia, especially those who seem ignorant. nothing wron with trying to help other to better themselves and society and country. this is how the world evolved everywhere. don't be so selfish. god bless.
No, Khmer in long beach starved education because they can't eat westerners education because it tastes bad.
I wish all our people have opportunity to go to school(Khmer people),Getting all the knowledge for all aspects for our Country.
Thank you UN for support my people,May God bless you and protect all UN in our world.
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