This project will feed 100 underweight children aged 3-5 years who are attending Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers in schools of rural villages of Nepal's Lalitpur district. The children spend up to 6 hours at ECD centers each day. The schools are unable to provide lunch due to limited resources, and also parents are not providing lunch for their children due to their poor economic status. This project will fund lunches for 100 children in their schools for one academic year.
Agricultural production of this area is low due to steep slope fields and poor soil fertility management practices. Average household income is also very low. Parents are often unable to provide lunch for their own children. Many children ages 3-5 spend 6 hours per day in ECD centers without food. The schools themselves cannot fund lunches due to their limited economic resources. This directly affects children's growth and holistic development. The school dropout rate is high.
With the support of this project, schools will be able to prepare daily lunches for children in consultation with RICOD's nutritionist. The project will provide raw ingredients to the schools, where food will be prepared and served daily. RICOD will also train parents, school management committees, and teachers on the importance of nutrition for children. Provision of lunches for underweight children also provides motivation for regular class attendance.
The project will feed 100 underweight children ages 3-5 in EDC centers in Lalitpur district. The affects of under-nutrition on the growth and holistic development of these children will be mitigated. Adequate nutrition will also contribute to reducing the school dropout rate, setting young children on a path towards continued education. Thus, this project supports family's efforts to care for their children and the overall development of their communities.
