May 11, 2022
News
This year, Caritas Czech Republic, in cooperation with the World Food Programme distributed school meals to over 23,000 students in the Al-Baaj district of Nineveh governorate and the Daquq district of Kirkuk governorate. The project aims to support children and encourage them to continue their studies despite difficult economic conditions. Children were also given brochures and posters emphasizing the importance of education, food safety, and hygiene. For this reason, we interviewed Nizar Adnan Hussein, the director of one of the schools where the distributions were made, to learn more about the project's impact in these areas.
Tell us a little about yourself, and how long have you been at this school?
My name is Nizar Adnan Hussein, I was born in 1977, and I live in the Al-Ashayr neighborhood of Daquq district, Kirkuk governorate. For the past four years, I have served as the director of Imam Al-Hawa Primary School. I used to be a teacher at this school, and then I ran for the school administration. I am currently studying at the College of Open Education and hope to make more changes and progress.
We would like to know more about this school, the challenges that students face in this region, and if the food is one of the challenges?
In this school we have more than 400 students, their ages range between 6-14 years, most of the students in this area are from vulnerable families and have limited income, and most of them are from the villagers. In recent years, the education process has been very difficult for these students, as e-education appeared during the virus Covid-19 outbreak, and they were unable to obtain the necessary equipment and materials for distance learning.
Yes, as I previously stated, our students have low incomes, and many families may not send their children to school due to the cost of food.
Given that you are aware of our (school feeding project), how do you feel about this initiative? Did the project benefit the locals and lessen the challenges?
Yes, I am pleased to see this initiative in our school. This was a fantastic humanitarian initiative that served as an incentive for students to continue their studies. It was a successful and positive project by all standards, as it provided support and helped relieve the burdens of parents, was a positive motivator for them, improved their performance, and contributed to a reduction of dropouts in this school compared to previous years. One of the most important benefits of this initiative, in my opinion, is that it eliminated the class differences that existed here between the poor and the more privileged, because all students were eating the same.
On behalf of the students' families and their children, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and respect to Caritas Czech Republic, the World Food Program, and everyone involved in this program for their support to the people of this region.
"The project is implemented by the WFP Iraq - برنامج الأغذية العالمي العراق in partnership with Caritas Czech Republic in Iraq with the financial support of the government of Iraq."
