The World Food Programme has donated four motor bikes to the Sierra Leone government to help monitor the implementation of the school feeding programme in schools where WFP is giving food aid. This gesture is part of WFP’s commitment to strengthening government capacity for effective implementation of its programmes.
“The bikes are part of a whole package aimed at building the capacity of government towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals of access to primary education” said Housainou Taal, WFP Deputy Country Representative to Sierra Leone, as he handed over the bikes to Minkailu Bah, the minister of Education, Youths and Sports. Receiving the motor bikes on behalf of his ministry at his New England office, the minister, Dr Minkailu Bah expressed appreciation for WFP’s work in Sierra Leone especially in the area of education.
He stated the school feeding programme was a great incentive which attracted children and helped them stay in school. “Let the parents know that WFP is here to help their children who are the future leaders of this country,” he added. He concluded that government would ensure the bikes and other items donated by WFP would be used for their intended purposes. WFP now provides a daily hot meal to an average of 250,000 children in school; almost half of whom are girls. It also operates a take-home–ration incentive scheme for girls who achieve 80 percent school attendance. School feeding programmes are implemented in 8 Districts; Kambia, Koinadugu, Tonkolili, Bombali, Port Loko, Kailahun, Kono and Pujehun
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