世界で重要性を増す食糧支援－バングラデシュで働く子どもへのパンデミックの影響
【2020年11月の活動報告】
1. November 2020 activity report
In the GENKI program, we resumed the distribution of Euglena cookies during the period when Corona was closed * 1. In November, 141,000 cookies were distributed to approximately 4,700 people at 26 of the 66 schools covered by the GENKI program.
2. Relationship with the United Nations World Food Program (UN WFP)
In January 2019, we became the first Japanese company to collaborate with the United Nations World Food Program (hereinafter referred to as the United Nations WFP) * 2. In this collaboration, we have signed a contract with a small farmer in Bangladesh and deliver mung beans and rice to the Rohingya refugee camp * 3 through the E-voucher system operated by the United Nations WFP. Through this, we have aimed to support the livelihood improvement of small-scale farmers and promote the health of refugees.
In November 2020, the United Nations WFP received the Nobel Peace Prize. The United Nations WFP has been providing food assistance for nearly 60 years since its establishment in 1961. One of the reasons for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize this time is that "we are making remarkable efforts amid the rapid increase in the number of people suffering from hunger due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection."
- * 2 Details of this business collaboration will be introduced in the release on February 25, 2019.
- * 3 A large-scale influx of displaced persons from Myanmar has occurred in Cox's Bazar in southeastern Bangladesh, and currently about 1 million people are displaced.
3. Food aid of increasing importance due to corona sickness
WFP Executive Director Beasley has called 2020 a “pandemic of hunger,” with the spread of the new coronavirus infection in addition to conflicts and Climate Change. Already in 2019, around 690 million people worldwide were chronically undernourished. It is estimated that an additional 83 to 132 million people could go hungry in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 recession4.
In Bangladesh, about 13 million people are said to have lost their jobs due to the corona crisis *5, especially the lockdown from March 26, 2020 was the main factor. The World Bank has warned that the coronavirus outbreak is likely to hit millions of previously undernourished Bangladeshis hard.
- * 4 Reference: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
- * 5 Reference: Nikkei Asia
4. Decrease in income for working children and corona sickness
In Bangladeshi homes suffering from poverty, children are engaged in a variety of jobs. Naim (12 years old at the time of the interview) works at a chicken shop while studying at the OBAT English School in the Dhaka Mohammadpur district, which is a target school for the GENKI program. When he was five, his father went missing. Since then, he has lived in poverty with his mother and two sisters and has been working for three years to support his family.
The economic impact of the pandemic has also hit the chicken shop where Naim works. The misconception that "chicken and animals can carry the new coronavirus and infect the human body" has spread, mainly among the poor in Bangladesh.
As a result, sales of the chicken restaurant where Naim works decreased by about 60% compared to before the pandemic, and Naim's income also decreased by about 40% from 2,500 taka (about 3,050 yen) to 1,500 taka (about 1,830 yen) per month. .. The income of the mother, who is a maid, has also decreased due to the effects of the corona virus, so the monthly income of the family has dropped by more than 30%. The Naim family, who used to eat vegetables and fish three times a day, have increased their rice-only diets and reduced their chances of getting nutrition from their daily diet.
Photo-2: Family supported by Naim
Photo 3 Naim receives a cookie
Under such circumstances, we resumed the distribution of Euglena cookies in October at the OBAT English School where Naim attends. Naim also receives 15 meals of cookies twice a month to make up for the malnutrition caused by the decline in income sources with Euglena cookies.
As school closures continue nationwide, we have increased the number of schools that help restart the GENKI program every month. Because of the severe situation of Corona, we will continue to promote activities so Euglena
Euglena Co., Ltd.
Overseas Business Development Department / Bangladesh Office