A joint venture launched yesterday with the United Nations food agency will allow the employees of industrial giant Unilever to pledge a percentage of their pay to help combat child hunger in Pakistan. Some 600 Unilever staff have already committed to the initiative contributing around 2.5 million Pakistan rupees (about $33,000) a year, which will fund 3,000 WFP-assisted government girls’ primary schools in rural areas.
Unilever will also support the UN World Food Programme with expertise in nutrition and health during a three-year period. The collaboration is aimed at supporting Pakistan in achieving the Millennium Development Goals of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger as well as achieving universal primary education.
“I am grateful for the commitment of Unilever employees providing financial support. This contribution will help WFP feed more schoolchildren in areas where literacy is particularly low and most families are below the poverty line,” said
the WFP Country Representative, Wolfgang Herbinger.
The WFP provides assistance to over 4 million people struggling for food in Pakistan, including nearly half a million girls under the school feeding program.