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World Food Programme in Bhutan
WFP continues to hold strong
Foreign minister Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk, foreign secretary Aum Neten Zangmo and regional director of WFP Asia Mr Anthony Banbury
WFP, created by the United Nations in 1963 to provide food assistance for the needy, opened its country office in Bhutan in 1976 on the invitation of the government. Some 27 years down today WFP still holds strong and most educated Bhutanese have been WFP beneficiaries at one time or the other.

Karma Dorji was about eight years old when he was enrolled as a boarding student in a primary school in Tsirang in 1982. He did not feel good about leaving home.

Next day a big truck rolled in at the school campus loaded with fat nylon sacks, fish-smelling boxes and white five-litre Jerry cans. His senior schoolmates unloaded the truck and carried the sacks and boxes and cans to a dank, rat-infested storeroom adjacent to the school kitchen.

That evening, Karma, for the first time, had a meal he had never tried before. A strange sumptuous meal of pure wheat and deep-fried flat salted dry fish. He liked the fish so much that he bribed an older friend who was in charge of the store and took home, during his summer break, a few pieces of the dried fish for his parents. The meals that Karma ate was part of the school feeding programme started in several schools in the country decades ago by the world food programme (WFP).

Meanwhile, Karma Dorji today is a government servant. But he frankly says that he often misses the fried "bulgar" breakfast that never let him go hungry "for an unbelievable long time".He remembers a particular breakfast. One of his friends had accidentally bitten a rat's tail mistaking it for a chili. The rat had burrowed into the fat nylon sack and was later cooked with the wheat.

In 2003, WFP provided school feeding assistance to 33, 284 students
Besides feeding school children, WFP continues to support construction of roads and suspension bridges, health, agricultural re-settlement, forestry, irrigation and dairy development. "WFP has always closely worked with the government in line with its most important priorities," said the WFP-Bhutan representative, Mr Gerald Daly. "For example, it is at present channeling 80 percent of its resources to the education sector in support of the goal of universal primary education for all by 2007."

In 2003, the education ministry with WFP's support, provided school feeding assistance to 33,284 students of which 43 percent were girls.

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WFP's support increased students' enrolment
WFP's support has increased students' enrolment, attendance rate and reduced dropouts. It has also reduced the financial burden on parents while sending their children to schools, and provided students with proper boarding. In 2003, WFP provided 162 and 195 boys, some of whom formally lived in huts around the school, with boarding hostels.

WFP also mobilised resources worth US $ 99,551 from the oil and petroleum exporting countries (OPEC) nations to construct two hostels in Nobding, Wangduephodrang, and Kamji, Chukha the construction of toilets at the national institute for the disabled in Khaling, Trashigang. From a food basket of wheat, dry fish and vegetable oil in 1980s today WFP's food aid basket consists of rice, pulses, canned fish, vegetable oil, maize meal, sugar and corn Soya blend, popularly known as 'nutrela'. In collaboration with the department of roads of the ministry of works and human settlement, WFP has also been providing food aid to the national work force.

Last year, 2,354 road workers and 9,416 of their family members received food assistance. The programme also constructed 19 dwelling quarters for the road workers with safe drinking water located at three kilometres from schools, and established two pilot day-care centres. About 70 workers have received non-formal education and vocational skills training and 323 workers' family members were provided with access to general health services.In 2004 a 'safety fund' of US $ 313,402 will be used to improve workers' housing, health services, basic training and children facilities.

In January 2003, WFP launched a 'food for work programme' with the agriculture ministry in six 'most vulnerable eastern districts' which has improved access to health, education and agricultural services for several hundred families. This programme, however, will be taken care by the government alone starting June, 2004, and the left over WFP resources will be channeled to support a new activity, according to the WFP 2003 report.
The WFP also works closely with the food corporation of Bhutan to facilitate safe transportation of food to remote schools and construction work sites states the report.

WFP funded the construction of a food warehouse in Samdrup Jongkhar and procured about 48 percent of its commodities locally in 2003.

Mr Gerald Daly, said that WFP is trying to broaden its activities in Bhutan. "We have particularly outlined some future support to education," he said. "These are, a pilot effort to revitalise school agricultural projects, providing fuel-efficient stoves to 23 schools and upgrade school kitchen, food storage and dining facilities in 97 schools." It has already secured US $ 32,110 from the Japanese friendship association for 42 fuel-efficient stoves.

Contributed by Gopilal Acharya, Kuensel, Bhutan's National Newspaper

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