Mercy Corps and AGECA Team Up to Feed School Children in Eritrea

Eritrean Schoolchildren in their classroom during the distribution of biscuits as part of Mercy Corps' school feeding program. Photo: Ezra Simon/Mercy Corps

ASMARA, Eritrea - Mercy Corps took delivery this week of 62.25 metric tons of high-energy biscuits produced under a partnership with AGECA Company. The biscuits represent the first installment of a total of 1,500 metric tons of biscuits to be produced between now and April 30, 2003. Approximately 55,000 children in elementary schools throughout the country will receive high-energy biscuits every school day through the end of the school year as a result.

Mercy Corps' school feeding activities began in March 2002 in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Vision Eritrea and CARE International as part of the Education Improvement Project, funded by the US Department of Agriculture. The biscuits distributed last school year were imported from factories in Italy and India. For the remainder of the Project, Mercy Corps wanted the biscuits to have an impact beyond school feeding.

"It was always our goal to move to Eritrean producers," says Craig Redmond, Mercy Corps' Country Director in Eritrea. "The best part is that not only are the Eritrean-produced biscuits less costly to produce but they taste better and actually exceed the nutritional and protein requirements set by the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health."

"Equally as important," continues Redmond, "is the fact that this project is creating jobs in Eritrea for Eritreans. The two factories subcontracted by AGECA to produce the biscuits have had to more than quadruple their workforce to meet the demands of our Project. Mercy Corps is thrilled to be improving the lives not only of school children but of the families of 195 Eritreans employed by A.F.I.Co and DIBCO factories."

The Education Improvement Project is made possible through the US Department of Agriculture's International Food and Child Nutrition Initiative, formally known as the Global Food for Education Initiative. The intent of the Initiative is to build on the US Government's success with its own school lunch program and to support other governments in their efforts to expand access to and the quality of basic education.

Mercy Corps' Education Improvement Project currently reaches approximately 36,000 children in 98 elementary school children in Anseba, Debub, Gash Barka, Maekel and Northern Red Sea Zones. The Project also provides training and grants for school improvement projects to Parent Teacher Associations and supports girls education promotion activities.