USDA Awards $20 Million to Planet Aid for Mozambique Education and Child Nutrition Programs

Planet Aid to provide 34 million meals to schools and benefit over 1 million individuals in Mozambique through health, nutrition, and educational programs over 3 years.
 
May 1, 2012 - PRLog -- Planet Aid, a U.S.-based nonprofit charitable organization, received a $20 million award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide food aid, education and nutrition programs in Mozambique.

Under USDA’s McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition programs, Planet Aid together with its in-country implementing agency, ADPP Mozambique (ADPP), will launch a three-year, multi-faceted program to include health, nutrition, and educational development initiatives to benefit more than 1 million students, teachers, parents, and community members.

Beginning in 2013, a primary component of the program will provide daily school meals to 60,000 children in Maputo province – totaling 34 million meals over three years. To increase local knowledge of the value of good nutrition and its impact on positive learning outcomes and childhood education overall, Planet Aid and ADPP, in partnership with American Soybean Association’s WISHH program (World Initiative for Soy in Human Health), will reach 1 million Mozambicans with nutrition education.  

The education component of the Planet Aid program will focus on training more than 4,000 primary school teachers. Training will include courses in nutrition, community health practices, and small-scale agricultural and economic development techniques. Upon graduation, the teachers will reach 264,000 primary school students each year. This component of the program includes a considerable cost share by the Government of Mozambique.

To complement the education, nutrition and school-feeding aspects, Planet Aid and ADPP will also carry out other initiatives to address critical community needs. All schools in the program will be equipped with necessary kitchen and storage space. Schools currently without a dependable water source will receive a potable water supply, and some schools will deploy point-of-use water purification systems for the duration of the program. To instruct students and the local communities in agricultural practices, selected schools will establish a school garden. To ensure proper sanitation, all schools in the program will receive newly-constructed or upgraded latrines as necessary.

ADPP Mozambique is a non-governmental organization officially registered with the Government of Mozambique and has 30 years of experience implementing programs in food security, agricultural production, rural development, education, nutrition and health. ADPP, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, currently operates 11 teacher training colleges with a yearly intake of 1,800 students, five primary and secondary schools with 4,365 students, and three vocational schools with a capacity of 500 students. ADPP also operates HIV/AIDS programs reaching over 1 million people. ADPP employs more than 2,000 staff and 2 million individuals participate actively in its programs on a yearly basis. Additionally, more than 3 million Mozambicans benefit directly from ADPP’s nationwide import/handling, processing, packing and sale of 8,000 tons of second-hand clothing every year.

Planet Aid is a U.S. 501 (c)(3) nonprofit and is registered with USAID as a private voluntary organization (PVO). It collects and recycles used clothing and shoes as part of its environmental mission. The net proceeds from its 22-state recycling operation help to support an international aid and development mission. Since its inception in 1997, Planet Aid has provided nearly $70 million to support international aid and development on three continents. It has managed Food for Progress programs in both Mozambique and Malawi totaling several million dollars. Previous Planet Aid efforts have included programs in education, teacher training, nutrition, soy canteen operation, and agriculture and economic development. Additionally, Planet Aid, through ADPP, has established a Farmer’s Club network, which has led to an increase in production averaging above 100% for participating farm holders. Visit http://www.planetaid.org
End
Source: » Follow
Email:***@planetaid.org Email Verified
Zip:21075
Tags:Clothes Recycling, Charitable, Nonprofit, Food Aid, Usda
Industry:Environment, Non-profit, Agriculture
Location:Baltimore - Maryland - United States
Subject:Awards
Account Email Address Verified     Account Phone Number Verified     Disclaimer     Report Abuse
Planet Aid PRs
Trending News
Most Viewed
Top Daily News



Like PRLog?
9K2K1K
Click to Share