International Relief and Development's "Better Foods for Better Lives" Project
- From: "Chim" <ChimS1@xxxxxxx>
- Date: 21 Jul 2006 05:02:22 -0700
http://voanews.com/khmer/2006-07-20-voa2.cfm?renderforprint=1
International Relief and Development's "Better Foods for Better Lives"
Project
Ratana Seng
Phnom Penh
20/07/2006
The International Relief and Development's (IRD) "better foods for
better lives" project focuses on the strengthening of private-sector
noodle producers, bread, and soy milk manufacturers to create
sustainable job opportunities, and improves the nutritional status of
low-income households and school children, says IRD director Adriana
Guinand. She says that the program focuses on promoting agricultural
and private sector development in developing countries.
Men Sarun Flour Mill for Mee Dara noodle's, director Men Sarun, says
that he is happy to cooperate with IRD's project, funded through the
U.S.
Department of Agriculture's (USDA) "Food for Progress" program, for
local food production especially for children. Mee Dara noodle
factory's director Nuong Triv says that his factory produces high
quality and high standard noodles.
Snack noodles, bread and soy milk are distributed free of charge to
school children, while low-cost fortified instant noodles are marketed
at reduced prices to low-income consumers, at 300 riels (local
currency) a package (less than 10 cents).
The sales are expected to be about one million 200,000 packages a
month. Low-cost fortified noodles called Mee Dara have been produced
and marketed since May 2005.
Primary school children are receiving bread, snack noodles, and soy
milk every morning as part of IRD's efforts to combat malnutrition and
increase school attendance rates. Snack noodle packages, bread and soy
milk, fortified with protein have been distributed to poor school
children to promote physical health and intellectual capabilities.
U.S. Ambassador Joseph A. Mussomeli in Phnom Penh conducts a
familiarization tour to a number of sites Thursday, including Phleung
Ches Rotes School.
The IRD's "better foods for better lives" project works with local
factories to produce Mee Dara noodles, soy milk, and breads, fortified
with vitamins and minerals, distributed free to 8,500 primary school
children every morning at 31 schools, in 6 cities and provinces.
Ambassador Mussomeli says: "This program that we see today is a unique
one that addresses the problems in different ways rather than giving
medical check ups or vitamin supplements.
This is working in a more organic way to ensure the health of the
children." In a wooden classroom filled with about 40 students
attending classes, some students say that the snacks provided to them
give them health benefits, and promote their will to go to class
regularly, and that they like them very much, they taste very good,
that they stimulate their thinking, and that they have received such
snacks for almost a year now.
.
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