Ahmareen Karim, the Acting Country Director for WFP Rwanda Country Office
By Georges Kalisa
World Food Programme (WFP)has commended Rwanda for playing a key role in the establishment of the Eastern AfricaSchool Meals Coalition Regional Network.
“Allow me to commend the dedication of the Government of Rwanda in leading the establishment of the Eastern Africa School Meals Coalition Regional Network under the leadership of Honourable Minister of state in charge of Primary and Secondary Education,” said Ahmareen Karim, the Acting Country Director for WFP Rwanda Country Office at the launch of the platform June 26, 2023 in the capital, Kigali.
Ahmareen Karim said that the platform will promote learning and exchange of ideas in the region.
“The platform is instrumental to foster learning and exchange across member states,” Karim added.
She illustrated the benefits of healthy children at the individual and national level stressing that countries can develop human capital by ensuring both boys and girls in school are ready and able to learn.
The nine countries of the ten member states at the two-day meeting are Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tanzania, South Sudan and Rwanda.
“We all know that healthy and well-nourished school children learn better. Healthy children also have better chances to thrive and fulfill their potential as adults. Ensuring that girls and boys stay in school and ready and able to learn allows countries to develop their human capital and individuals to achieve their full potential in life,” said Karim.
She said that her organization was ready to support this cause.
“As the secretariat of the global School Meals Coalition, WEP is looking forward to supporting this activity.”
Minister State of Education Gaspard Twagirayezu while presiding over the launch said that the establishment of East Africa Regional Network marks the beginning of a journey to address common school health and nutrition challenges, learn from each other, allow peer-to-peer learning & sharing of experiences across the region.
“I would like to call upon other stakeholders to continue working together to make school feeding across the region a success. Other development partners, private sector and other government agencies are invited to join efforts to make school feeding a game changer”, observed Gaspard Twagirayezu. (End)