How many children benefit from the WFP school feeding programs within the country?
In Pakistan, WFP has been in operation since 1968. Among the many programs WFP implements, the most important is school feeding to primary and pre-primary schoolchildren in the most food-insecure districts across Pakistan. Providing food as an incentive not only helps students meet their daily food requirements, but negates the opportunity costs of sending children to school, especially girls. In this way, it encourages poverty-stricken parents to break down cultural and economic barriers placed on the acquisition of education by their children. The school feeding program began in 1998 and runs under three different operations. In WFP’s Country Program (2005-2009), school feeding benefits around 400,000 primary school girls in more than 30 districts all over the country. Each girl student attending a minimum of 20 school days receives a monthly “take home” ration of a 4 liter tin of vegetable oil. In areas affected by the devastating 2005 earthquake, the WFP provides mid-morning snacks
