(KPL) The Russian Federation has donated 47 metric tons of cooking oil to the Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). The handover ceremony took place at the WFP warehouse in Vientiane.

The cooking oil, presented by Russian Ambassador Vladimir Kalinin and received by Marc-André Prost, WFP Representative and Country Director, will be used to prepare lunches for primary school students in 12 districts across Luang Namtha and Phongsaly provinces. Many of these areas were heavily impacted by recent floods and are part of the national school lunch programme.

The shipment, consisting of 3,400 boxes, each containing 15 bottles of fortified vegetable oil, is part of a broader Russian donation that also includes canned fish. This contribution, valued at USD 2 million, will arrive in two consignments, with distribution to schools scheduled to begin at the start of the upcoming academic semester.

Since 2018, Russia has partnered with WFP to support the Lao government’s efforts in community resilience and to enhance the national school lunch programme. "This food donation for rural school children in Lao PDR complements Russia's ongoing support in strengthening systems and building capacity for school meal programs in four northern provinces. We believe that access to a daily nutritious meal is essential to combat malnutrition and foster a strong future workforce," said Ambassador Kalinin.

"School meals play a crucial role in keeping children in school by alleviating the pressure on families struggling to provide sufficient nutritious food. This is especially important for communities recently affected by floods, where food stocks and future harvests have been lost. Russia’s food donations also enable the Lao government's National School Lunch Program to continue in areas with high malnutrition and seasonal food insecurity," said Marc-André Prost, WFP Representative and Country Director.

KPL