In Bhutan, where 17.9% of children under five are stunted, 8.7% are underweight, and 36.5% are anemic, the FAO has committed USD 2 million for a pilot project aimed at addressing malnutrition. In an effort to address nutritional deficiencies among schoolchildren nationwide, approximately 32,000 students in 300 pilot schools chosen for the “One-Child, One-Egg” initiative will begin receiving one egg daily through the school feeding program this academic year. Because of their abundance of high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals—all of which are essential for children’s development, cognitive function, and general health—eggs are regarded as a superfood.
At the 79th UN General Assembly, Dr. QU Dongyu first proposed the “One-Child, One-Egg” initiative in a high-level conversation with Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay. 88,784 students are currently benefited by Bhutan’s school feeding program, with many of them depending on school meals as their main source of nutrition. 30,647 of these students receive two meals a day, 22,089 receive one meal, and 37,697 receive three meals. The World Health Organization claims that children who receive proper nutrition—especially protein and micronutrients—perform better academically and have better learning outcomes.
