SEOUL, Jan. 17 (Korea Bizwire) — The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), South Korea’s overseas aid agency, has signed an agreement with the East Timorese Ministry of Finance to improve the health and nutritional consumption of local youth by introducing a basic health and cafeteria system at schools.
Schools in East Timor struggle with a lack of health education or management. The students also suffer from poor health due to a lack of proper cooking facilities and food.
Over the next five years, KOICA plans to invest US$7.86 million to send health instructors to 1,284 elementary and middle schools in the country and introduce basic health programs including periodic health examinations, vaccinations, anthelmintics and education on disease prevention.
The agency also plans to set up school safety standards to help deal with issues of in-school alcohol consumption, smoking, drug abuse, and violence.
The school’s cooking facilities will be improved, and enriched rice will be introduced for proper consumption of nutrients.
This project is also being supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Food Programme (WFP). Some 300,000 students or 70 percent of all elementary and middle school students will benefit from the program.
Image Credit: KOICA / photonews@koreabizwire.com
