United States and Public Fund “Ergene” Donate Food to Vulnerable Citizens of Kyrgyz Republic

The U.S. Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the American non-governmental organization Resource & Policy Exchange (RPX) will deliver four containers of food donated by the American people to the Kyrgyz Republic as part of the USAID Food for Peace Program.  The Public Foundation “Ergene” will coordinate and administer the distribution of food in the Kyrgyz Republic.

An official ceremony launching the distribution stage will be held at a roundtable on “Tuberculosis and food security in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan” on Monday, 24 March, 2014 at 14:00 at the National TB Center (90A Ahunbaeva Street, Bishkek.)

Deputy Chief of U.S. Mission to the Kyrgyz Republic Ms. Laura Griesmer, Deputy of Zhogorku Kenesh (Parliament) of the Kyrgyz Republic Mr. Daniyar Terbishaliev, Deputy Minister of Health Mr. Marat Kaliev, Minister of Social Development Mr. Kudaibergen Bazarbaev, Director of the National TB Center Mr. Abdulat Kadyrov and representatives of international organizations supporting TB treatment in the Kyrgyz Republic will participate in the event.

The USAID Food for Peace Program aims to enrich the diets of women and children in long-term treatment and housing facilities, including residents of tuberculosis and psycho-neurological hospitals, orphanages, elder care homes and other social institutions.  Patients and residents of 73 care institutions across the country will receive the food.  The donated food product is called Harvest Lentil Pro and is manufactured by the U.S. company Breedlove Dehydrated Foods. It consists of dried carrots, onions, rice and lentils and is fortified with vitamins and minerals. In addition to donating the food products, USAID will teach the staff at the recipient institutions how to cook it in local dishes.

Since 2006 USAID’s Food for Peace Program has delivered almost 20 million servings of food to over 50,000 children and adults in the Kyrgyz Republic.

This program is one of many assistance projects supported by the American people through USAID. For more information about USAID programs, please visit our web site at: www.usaid.gov/kyrgyz-republic.