WFP also provides non-food items, such as cooking utensils, and aids in the construction and improvement of school kitchens and stores, capacity–building through training cooks, and monitoring and reporting to enhance the implementation of the program. WFP has supported the government with monitoring vehicles and computers for data processing and reporting.
What would be the sources of funding for any expansion of the school feeding program? What has been the effect of high food prices on this funding effort?
In 2008, donors pledged additional funds to WFP worldwide to keep existing projects going at planned levels. A portion of those extra resources were allocated to our program in Timor-Leste. Although donor commitments may be under pressure from the global financial crisis, we hope resources for school feeding programs will be maintained at planned levels to ensure a better education — and future — for the children in Timor-Leste.
How can someone help the school feeding program?
More money is always needed to buy more food, and it costs only 25 cents to feed a child one meal at school each day. If people are interested in donating, they can visit Friends of WFP’s website. The main challenge for the government is to build human capacity to technically plan and implement a nationwide school feeding program. Therefore, technical support to the Ministry of Education is a priority.
Anything else you'd like to add about why you think school feeding is important for people to support?
Without school meals, many children might lose their opportunity to get a good education and become productive citizens in the future. In addition to helping children pay attention in class, the program has also proven to contribute to higher school completion rates. Therefore, it is essential that WFP continue to support education through the school feeding program to ensure a bright future for the children of Timor-Leste.
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