United Nations World Food Programme
"19 Cents a Day" Campaign

Questions and Answers

What is the 19 Cents a Day campaign?
An effort to raise awareness of how little it costs to feed the world’s hungry children at school. There are 300 million chronically hungry children in the world today and more than 100 million who do not attend school.  For 19 Cents a Day, we can provide each of those children a meal at school, making it possible for many of them to attend classes for the first time.  For 19 Cents a Day, a child gets sound nutrition and an education - the key to escaping hunger and poverty.

What is the goal of the 19 Cents a Day Campaign?
Our goal is to raise awareness and sufficient funds to feed as many children as possible in the poorest countries.

What does 19 cents a day buy?
A school meal for a child - a nutritious breakfast or lunch.  Depending on the location, the meal might consist of porridge or nutrient enriched biscuits or a mixture of rice and beans. 

Who does the campaign target?
High schools and universities; but WFP is also reaching out to businesses, foundations, elected officials, entertainers, churches, community groups, trade associations, and any other organizations or individuals who may be interested.

How can I help? 

Write a check:
World Affairs Council of Columbia
P.O. Box 5593
Columbia, SC 29250
Subject: 19 Cents a day

Call:
803-252-2197: donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. 

What is the World Food Programme?
The United Nations' food aid agency - the frontline in the fight against global hunger and the largest humanitarian agency in the world. With the help of its partners, WFP fed 104 million people in 81 countries in 2003. The US Government has been WFP’s most generous supporter, providing more than 50% of its food and financial resources last year.  WFP works in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East - all over the globe.  For nearly 40 years, WFP has provided nutritious meals to school children in poor countries around the world. 

Where does WFP work?
In the poorest, least developed countries in the world.  WFP school feeding programs reached more than 15 million children in 69 countries in 2003.

Why does WFP provide food at school?
When school meals are offered, enrollment, attendance and retention rates significantly increase.  And we know that education is the key to reducing poverty, which is where hunger starts. 

What are the benefits of school feeding? 
School feeding is a practical tool for reducing child hunger and improving school performance.  With adequate nutrition, a student's ability to concentrate and learn is dramatically improved.  School feeding also helps poor families who struggle to feed their children.  By meeting part of the school age child’s total nutritional needs, school feeding programs strengthen household food security.  

How many school-age children do not attend school?
More than 100 million of the world’s school age children do not attend school; two-thirds of those are girls. Exact figures are not available for war-torn countries such as Liberia, Iraq, and Sudan.

How many of the world’s people are chronically hungry?
More than 840 million of the world’s people are chronically hungry.

What is a typical school lunch? 
A typical school lunch might consist of a hot porridge or high-energy biscuits made from a blend of corn flour and soy or rice with a sauce or beans. The meals vary from country to country, and are usually prepared by parents or other community members.  In Latin America, tortillas are made from the corn WFP provides.  In Afghanistan, naan, a flat bread, is made from WFP-donated wheat.

Aren't girls discouraged from  
going to school in many countries?
WFP places special emphasis on girl's education. In areas where enrollment rates for girls are particularly low, WFP works with families and communities to help make it possible for girls to go to school.  In some cases, a girl’s good attendance is rewarded with food for her family. These take-home rations can be eaten by the family or sold to offset the loss of the girls' labor at home. The program makes education affordable and encourages families to send their daughters to school.

Is the cost really only 19 cents a day?
The average cost is 19 cents a day - in some countries it's less expensive and in some countries it costs more.  Factors such as the type of food provided and whether countries have higher than usual transportation costs can affect the per meal expense.

How many children does WFP want to help?
WFP wants to double the number of school children it now feeds to 32 million within the next two years.  By 2007, WFP hopes to reach 50 million school children around the world.