World Food Program to Give Daily Meals for 185,000 Venezuelan Children

GENEVA - The U.N. World Food Program says it has reached a deal with the Venezuelan government to provide daily school meals to 185,000 of the country’s most vulnerable children by the end of the year.

The deal was sealed with a handshake by WFP Director David Beasley and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Monday in the capital, Caracas. The school feeding program initially will take place in areas where food shortages are most severe. But, WFP spokesman Tomson Phiri says his agency aims to expand the operation over the coming two years to reach 1.5 million students, who often miss out on meals during the day. He says the operation will be conducted without state interference. “Our school meals program will be independent and separate from the national social protection programs," said Phiri. "In Venezuela and across the world, WFP’s operations follow the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and operational independence.”