What plans are there for making school lunches available for all children?

We estimate that nearly 2 million children go to school hungry in Nepal each day. Nepal's children have some of the worst nutrition statistics in the world. One in two children are stunted and 39 percent are underweight. Acute malnutrition rates are now rising and are as high as 20 percent in the districts bordering India.

Unfortunately, decreases in funding for school feeding programs over the last few years have forced us to reduce the number of children receiving school meals by half. This is particularly worrying as the areas we work in continue to face serious food insecurity because of drought conditions. Families there will also have to struggle with the impact of the escalating global food crisis - skyrocketing prices for food and fuel. School feeding programs provide a vital safety net to children during such periods.

What would be the sources of funding for any expansion of the school feeding program? What has been the effect of rising food prices in this funding effort?

Nepal's economy has not kept up with many of its Asian neighbors. Unfortunately, there are few private partnerships that we could leverage in a big way to help support our school feeding activities. The government of Nepal is piloting a project in five remote districts where it provides money to schools to manage their own school feeding programs. This is a promising development, but the government has limited funds and the program currently covers only about 25,000 children.

As the international community responds to the global food crisis, I hope it will translate into more support for school feeding programs that cost very little - just 25 cents a day feeds a child at school - but provide incredible benefits to children. School feeding can transform their lives in fundamental ways - by ensuring they grow into healthy and productive adults.

How can someone help the school feeding program?

Individuals can of course go to WFP's website and donate online. As businesses, foundations and governments consider how to respond to the global food crisis, I hope they will increase their support for WFP school feeding programs - one of the most cost-effective ways to immediately protect the health of children and invest in the future as these children turn into healthy, productive citizens.

Is there anything else you'd like to add about why you think school feeding is important for people to support?

I think a picture is worth a thousand words.