EU allocates EUR 65M for school meals in Ukraine

23.12.2024 19:42

The European Union has transferred the second tranche of budget support to Ukraine in the amount of EUR 150 million, a significant part of which is aimed at providing hot meals in Ukrainian schools.

That’s according to a statement by the EU Delegation to Ukraine, Ukrinform reports.

It is noted that a total of EUR 65 million of this funding will be allocated directly for ensuring Ukraine's school nutrition policy, which aims to provide free, healthy meals to primary school students across the country.

The initiative is a key component of the EU’s broader efforts to aid Ukraine’s recovery and strengthen its resilience in the face of Russia's ongoing war of aggression. The EUR 65 million will ensure that more than 700,000 primary school children, particularly in grades 1–4, will receive a hot meal once a day at no cost to their families.

The provision of free hot meals is not only aimed at improving nutritional health but also at creating a safe and supportive educational environment for the children of Ukraine, the report reads.

The funding for school meals is part of the EU’s second tranche of EUR 150 million, aimed at accelerating Ukraine’s recovery and rebuilding essential infrastructure, the EU Delegation emphasized.

In addition to the EUR 65 million allocated for school meals, the remaining EUR 85 million will be directed to support critical infrastructure, food security and reconstruction projects that are vital for Ukraine's recovery, including EUR 50 million for the repair and modernization of port infrastructure in Odesa, EUR 15 million for the implementation of various infrastructure projects vital for recovery, and EUR 20 million to support the implementation of policies aimed at ensuring food security for the population.

As reported, in October 2024, the government allocated UAH 2 billion to ensure free hot meals for primary schools. As of the end of November, 93% of educational facilities had used the subvention funds and introduced free meals for students in grades 1–4.