ZCZC
BSS-07
SAUDI-DONATTION-DATES
Saudi Arabia donates dates to schoolchildren
DHAKA, July 11, 2019 (BSS) – Saudi Arabia donated 300 metric tons of dates for the schoolchildren and their families in Bangladesh.
The donation of dates handed over at a ceremony at the Embassy of Saudi Arabia where Mohamed Askar of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief) and Alpha Bah, WFP Deputy Country Director in Bangladesh were present, said a release today.
Distribution started during the holy month of Ramadan. WFP distributed the dates to 150,000 children across 7 sub-districts in Barguna, Cox’s Bazar and Jamalpur districts. Each child received 2 kgs of dates as take-home rations through WFP’s School Meals Programme.
“KSrelief distributes thousands of tons of dates each year to countries around the world, as part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s ‘Gift of Dates’ program,” stated Dr. Abdallah Al-Rabeeah, Advisor to the Royal Court, and Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center.
The partnership between KSrelief and WFP is crucial in the field of humanitarian action to fight hunger and provide emergency food assistance that will improve the nutritional status of beneficiaries, he added.
“The dates are a special, nutritious treat for the students and their families in some of the poorest regions of Bangladesh,” said Alpha Bah.
“It is especially welcome to receive this support during the fasting month, and we look forward to continuing our strong partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” added Alpha.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a long history of supporting WFP in Bangladesh and worldwide, including a contribution of US$ 970,000 last year in support of the Rohingya refugee response in Cox’s Bazar.
BSS/PR/MAK/QC/1320 hrs