More than 161 tons of dates have been handed over to schools in Tajikistan as part of humanitarian aid provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the World Food Programme (WFP). The official handover ceremony took place on June 17 at the WFP warehouse in Rudaki district.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Tajikistan Badriddin Muzaffarzoda, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Republic of Tajikistan Walid bin Abdulrahman Al-Rashidan and Director of WFP in Tajikistan Adham Musallam.
According to Muzaffarzoda, the transfer of the cargo was the result of strong and long-term cooperation between the Ministry of Education and Science of Tajikistan, the World Food Program and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He expressed gratitude to the partners for their ongoing support in the field of school nutrition.
"This year, as part of the State School Nutrition Program, more than 161 tons of dates will be distributed among primary school students in more than 500 educational institutions in various cities and regions of the country. This event is aimed at improving the nutritional status of schoolchildren, strengthening their health and improving the quality of education," he noted.
The Saudi Arabian Ambassador stressed in his speech that providing assistance to the brotherly people of Tajikistan is a matter of honor for his country. He assured that the Kingdom will continue to contribute to the development of key sectors, primarily education.
WFP Director in Tajikistan Adham Musallam said that humanitarian aid will reach more than 43,000 primary school students in 14 districts of the republic, including the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region and districts of republican subordination.
At the end of the ceremony, its participants expressed confidence in the further strengthening of partnerships between countries and international organizations in the field of food security and support for education.