新型コロナウイルスの影響下、GENKIプログラム対象校が取り組む食糧支援活動　
【2020年4月の活動報告】

ユーグレナGENKIプログラムとは？

Approximately 1.1 million meals (progress rate: 52.2%) were distributed by April against Euglena cookie distribution target of 2.1 million meals for this term (October 2019-September 2020).

1. Food support activities undertaken by schools subject to the GENKI program under the influence of the new coronavirus

We reported on the effects of the new coronavirus in Bangladesh last month, but the spread of the infection has not stopped since then. On April 9, the number of new domestic infections exceeded 100 for the first time, and measures to restrict the movement of people, such as re-extending the city blockade (lockdown) and shortening the business hours of daily necessities stores and supermarkets, are being strengthened day by day. I am. Even at our local subsidiary Bangladesh office, banks in Dhaka only open two days a week, which sometimes hindered the processing of bank account deposits on the day of payroll to employees. In rural areas, the police also requested farmers to wait at home, which made it impossible for our contract farmers to work in the fields. Bangladesh's Prime Minister Hasina delivered a speech on the new Coronavirus on the eve of the Bengali New Year (April 14), congratulating the New Year on television. In that speech, he reiterated that he would spend the New Year at home with his family and refrain from going out unnecessarily, and at the same time announced measures to support medical institutions and people's lives. As one of the concrete measures, the distribution of major food products (rice and wheat) to the poor (budget amount of about 32.5 billion yen) was also mentioned.

As the demand for non-regular work continues to decline due to the blockade of cities (lockdown) and requests to wait at home, the poor, who mainly make a living from day labor, are in dire straits every day. Under these severe circumstances, not only the Bangladesh government but also the schools targeted for the GENKI program have seen cases of working on food support activities for the poor. Ten Taka Elementary School, which started participating in the GENKI program in August 2019, is one of them. The school, located in Dhaka, was donated by a number of local supporters and was founded by Mr. Arif. He is also one of the founders of Youth for Bangladesh, a youth volunteer organization that helps the poor. This time, with the cooperation of these two organizations, we started concrete support activities on March 26, when quarantine measures (such as waiting at home) at the request of the government began. First, we made our own supply of main food bags (15 kg of rice, 4 kg of potatoes, 2 kg of lentils) with one soap and distributed it to poor families in Dhaka. This ration included the families of students attending schools eligible for the GENKI program. It was distributed to a total of 1,000 households over the five days from March 26th to 30th. After that, it is carried out once every two to three days while changing the target area. In April, we also provided 400-500 lunch boxes (lunch boxes) to those who are most hungry in this predicament, including street dwellers, almost every day. For this lunch, volunteer members prepared a nutritious and easy-to-digest traditional bean porridge made from lentils, rice, eggs, vegetables, and chicken called Kituri. Classrooms and playgrounds at Ten Taka Elementary School were used to prepare 400-500 lunch boxes each time. The railway station plaza, which has a vast site, was selected as the place to supply the completed lunch box, and it is carried out with the cooperation of the local police while maintaining the social distance of the recipients. This situation was also introduced in a news program of the local TV station GTV.

Unfortunately, since mid-April, the number of people infected with the new coronavirus per day has been increasing in Bangladesh. On May 11, the number of infected people per day reached 1,034 (source: World Health Organization WHO), exceeding 1,000 for the first time. The peak-out trend is not yet visible. In addition, as a characteristic of infected persons, the proportion of infected persons aged 21 to 30 years is the highest at 26%, followed by 24% aged 31 to 40 years (Source: Bangladesh Institute of Infectious Diseases IEDCR). Age group accounts for half of the total. Considering that the percentage of infected people in Japan is high, it seems that the situation is different. As school closures continue as a countermeasure against the spread of infection, Euglena cookies to students at schools eligible for the GENKI program. We are also nutritious Euglena cookies, and we are taking our own support measures to contribute to this difficult situation. Details will be introduced in the next and subsequent issues.

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  Photo-1: Family receiving major food bag rations
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  Photo-2: Housewives receiving distribution of major food bags
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  Photo-3: Volunteers preparing lunch boxes
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  Photo-4: People waiting for distribution at the railway station square
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  Photo-5: Volunteers handing out lunch boxes ①
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  Photo-6: Volunteers handing out lunch boxes ②

Thank you for your continued support.

Euglena Co., Ltd.
Overseas Business Development Department / Bangladesh Office