Fundraising walk for hungry children

JAKARTA: In an effort to help more than 700,000 Indonesian children in hunger, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) and partnering global logistics provider TNT plan to jointly hold a fundraising walk in Ragunan Zoo, South Jakarta, on Sunday.

"We expect to raise more than Rp 200 million (US$21,052) from participants to help fund WFP's school feeding program," WFP country director Mohamed Saleheen said on Tuesday.

At the same time, similar walks will also take place in another 200 cities around the world. The one in Jakarta will be participated in by WFP and TNT staff, families and local NGO activists.

Currently, the WFP sets aside US$45 million a year to help feed 2.5 million infants, school-aged children and pregnant women through the disbursement of biscuits in elementary schools and posyandu (integrated health service posts).

The funds raised will also be used to help more than 140,000 malnourished children in West and East Nusa Tenggara provinces. --JP