In light of the International Day of Education celebrated worldwide on 24th January, National Foods Limited (NFL), one of the leading brands of Pakistan, and Allah Walay Trust have collaborated for the “School Khana Program”. This program aims to address the issue of classroom hunger by providing nutritious meals to students at the Government Primary School Bhatta Pind, Lahore,
An MoU signing ceremony was held at the school in Lahore, followed by the team sharing a meal with the students. This event was attended by the leadership Team of NFL and Allah Walay Trust, along with the teachers and students at the school.
Child malnutrition is one of the biggest challenges of Pakistan – sadly 40% children are affected by it. Also, more than 35% of children in Punjab go to school without having breakfast, impacting their physical and cognitive development, and creating an inability to focus on their education.
The program is aimed at addressing the challenge of classroom hunger, which affects a child’s ability to learn and grow. The school has been strategically selected due to the higher ratio of girls to boys, which helps us encourage education for girls. The program is not only aligned with NFL’s Sustainability philosophy, but also the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of eradicating hunger and poverty, contributing to quality education, and improving health and well-being.
“At National Foods Limited, we believe that education is the key to unlocking a brighter future for all. We are proud to play a small part in addressing malnutrition challenges in children and shaping the next generation of leaders. We look forward to continuing our efforts to promote a healthy and accessible educational environment for all”, said Abrar Hasan, CEO of National Foods Limited.
“We are positive that this program will also serve as an incentive for parents to send their children to school and encourage enrollment which would ultimately result in decreased student drop-out ratio and better exam results.” he added.
“Our initiatives have been instrumental in reducing the drop-out ratio of underprivileged children, while at the same time curbing malnutrition in children. We are thankful for National Foods Limited in supporting children’s health and education in Pakistan,” said Shahid Lone, Chairman – Allah Walay Trust.