A slice of bread that can feed thousands of hungry children

A slice of bread can go a long way in feeding hungry children in conflict areas in the southern Philippines.

And this is what a popular local bakeshop, in partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme, is trying to achieve for the benefit of children in Central Mindanao.

“What makes this sliced bread unique is that for every sale of the Julie’s Bayan bread, two pesos goes to the fund and initiative called Emergency School Feeding (ESF) program,” said Joseph Gandionco, President and Chief Executive Officer of Julie’s Franchise Corporation, of its Bayan Sliced Bread.

The ESF program of the WFP provides on-site nutritious meals in targeted schools in Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao. The WFP implements its program in partnership with Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Education as well as non-government organization Community Family Services International.

“So what we do to this school feeding is we feed them at school but there’s something they get in return which is education. They are excited to come to school for meals…but there are also programs wherein they work for their food,” said actress KC Concepcion, who is also the ambassador of the WFP.

Meanwhile, the WFP said that hunger was an issue to be addressed as there were more than 12 million hungry people in the Philippines.

“Here in the Philippines, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, there are more than 12 million hungry people. WFP cannot reach so many people in one country, we have limited resources.

At this moment we are reaching about 1.2 million people particularly in conflicted areas of Mindanao,” said Dipayan Bhattacharyya of the WFP.

In Mindanao alone, almost 50 percent of the population are below the poverty line as a result of chronic poverty and continued conflict, he added.

“One in every two children are malnourished and nationally almost 30 percent of the children are malnourished which essentially means that they are hungry and they won’t be able to grow their fullest potential if we do not support them immediately, the need is really ardent,” he said.

The WFP is currently assisting around 80,000 school children in Mindanao.

The proceeds from the Julie’s Bayan Sliced bread will be given every quarter to WFP, said Gandionco.

“We hope this partnership can pave the way for further opportunities for the private sector and WFP Philippines to fight hunger in the country,” he added.