The World Food Programme (WFP) announced Monday in a statement that the Canadian government donated US$8 million to support the organization's school feeding programs for Egyptian and Syrian children.
"The Canadian government, in partnership with the World Food Programme through a comprehensive educational aid package, aims to address the constraints faced by the Syrian refugees and the host community in Egypt," said Ambassador Troy Lulashnyk, Canada's Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt.
"Canada is committed to supporting development programs in the areas that focus on children and youth, food security, and sustainable economic growth. This initiative provides support to schools, government services, and members of the affected communities in these three key areas," he added.
Students in 280 schools will receive nutritious snacks in the form of date bars fortified with vitamins to combat truancy and to prevent Syrian refugees from leaving schools due to their difficult financial situation, he added.
The project will support 180,000 children over two years in Egypt, including 7,000 Syrian children in Alexandria and Damietta, according to the WFP statement.
In 2014, the WFP's school feeding programme supported more than 235,000 children. The organization plans to support another 100,000 children over the next 4 years, the statement added.
WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger through providing food aid in emergency situations. The program helps about 80 million people in nearly 75 countries every year.
