Through embassy in Yaounde: Japan donates over 755 million FCFA for school meals in Central African Republic.

The Chargé d’Affaire a.i. of the Japanese Embassy, Aoki Shun, penned the agreement for the diplomatic service while the World Food Programme Representative for CAR, H.E Housainou Taal, signed for the UN agency. 

The signing ceremony took place at the World Food Programme, WFP, office in Yaounde, in the presence of the Deputy Country Director of WFP in Cameroon, Aboubacar Guindo.

Also present during the signing ceremony was the CAR Ambassador to Cameroon, H.E Jeanette Marcelle Gotchanga Betizamo

In his opening remark, the Deputy Country Director of WFP in Cameroon, Aboubacar Guindo, noted that the signing ceremony celebrates Japan's unwavering support for WFP in Central African Republic. 

“In the past five years, Japan has remained the third largest donor to support the implementation of WFP operations in CAR,” Aboubacar said.

He went on to note that as humanitarian communities operate under critical funding cuts, he remains delighted that they are still able to count on Japan's support in keeping the promise that WFP made to the government of Central African Republic in making sure “no child in the country should go to school hungry”.

The financial support of the government of Japan, Aboubacar noted, will support WFP in ensuring that 42,000 school children benefit from healthy school meals to study in better conditions, encourage school retention and reduce gender and ethnic discrimination.

This contribution, he said, comes at a critical time, as WFP and the government of CAR are working jointly to make school feeding the most effective social protection programme for 400,000 schoolchildren by 2027.

School feeding, he said, increasingly based on local production, is an entry point to sustainable food systems, which will strengthen the education, nutrition, health and agricultural sectors. He noted that for every 100,000 school meals distributed, 1,700 jobs are created. 

“These may seem like ambitious goals, but they are achievable if governments, donors and the humanitarian community work together to reach them. This is even more important as 2.5 million people in CAR are still food insecure, representing 41% of the total population,” he said. 

Enter WFP Representative for CAR

Speaking after the signing, H.E Housainou Taal, said: “This donation will help 42,000 school children to have access to school meals which in some cases will be the only meal that these children eat all day. So, this is a very important donation”. 

The donation, Taal added, also contains 400 tonnes of food from Japan, rice, and stock fish. 

“However, these 42,000 children are part of the 200,000 children as part of the back-to-school campaign,” he said. 

“We really want to thank Japan and the president of CAR, who is the leader of the project,” Taal added.

According to Taal, their objective is that by 2027, they should have reached 400,000 children. 

“When we say school meals based on local production, we are talking about five Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs. SDG 1 No Poverty, SDG 2 Zero Hungry, SDG 3 good health, SDG 4 quality education and SDG 5 Gender Equality,” he noted. 

Thanks to the donation, Taal noted that they will equally develop food manufacturing units. 

“Food will be produced locally. But in the short term, food needs to be imported. Children need to eat. And feeding these children will make them learn better. This will strengthen educational development in the country,” he said.

Project major achievement for Japan

According to the Chargé d’Affaire a.i. of the Japanese Embassy, Aoki Shun, the project is a major achievement for Japan and the people of CAR to help them be able to learn without having the worry of being hungry while in school.

Feeding, Aoki Shun said, is the basic commodity for all for it is an important aspect for development and it thanks to these school meals that children will have interest to study.

“It is only with the food assistance that we can really fully exploit the advantage of education. This project is not done by Japan alone; it is carried out in partnership with the WFP. We appreciate WFP Bangui to have involved the entire government in implementing the programmes,” Aoki Shun said.

He highlighted that a similar project is equally carried out in Cameroon, especially in crisis-affected areas. 

“This is a project carried out by the government of Japan in the whole sub-Saharan Africa,” Aoki Shun added

CAR Ambassador salutes initiative

The Ambassador of CAR in Cameroon, H.E Jeanette Gotchanga, saluted the initiative funded by the government of Japan to support child education in her country.

“Permit me express my deep gratitude to the government of Japan for its support and effectiveness. This generous contribution will allow us to protect about 42,000 students across our country, many of who continue to face great difficulties in accessing food and healthcare products,” she said. 

The gesture, she added, has reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to developing human capital through programmes that benefit children and their families. 

Gotchanga also pledged their determination to ensure the swift implementation of the project in order to guarantee an effective and efficient use of human capital to change the lives of citizens.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3226 of Wednesday September 11, 2024