DUSHANBE, October 15, 2011, Asia-Plus — The World Food Programme (WFP) on October 14 marked World Food Day (WFD) by highlighting the vital role that food assistance plays during humanitarian crises, supporting recovery in the immediate aftermath of disasters, and building the resilience that is necessary to ensure food security, a press release issued by WFP said.
“Across the world, we are the bridge between hunger and hope for millions of people,” said WFP Executive Director, Josette Sheeran. “WFP is providing life-saving food assistance in the midst of crises like the drought in the Horn of Africa. In countries like Libya, we are supporting communities that are striving to recover from crisis, and in places like Haiti, we continue to work with governments and civil society to build resilience so that the vulnerable are better able to cope when the next disaster strikes.”
Relief, recovery and resilience are the three defining pillars of WFP’s work in more than 70 countries around the world, where we are bringing the most effective and appropriate food assistance to close to 100 million people this year.
In Tajikistan, WFP is serving about 560,000 people in both development and recovery activities. WFP”s biggest activity is school feeding — the organization gives a hot meal to 370,000 children in primary schools, covering 60% of all schoolchildren in rural areas. WFP, the largest humanitarian agency in Tajikistan, also gives food to some 145,000 people living in the hardship regions of the country, as well as to 44,400 Tuberculosis patients and their families. The agency”s goal is to improve household food security, build community assets, and promote investment in human capital.
