"Milk in Schools: Lori and Yerevan" program launched in collaboration with the UN WFP, EDB and Yeremyan Projects

 YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. On September 25, the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), the United Nations World Food Program (UN WFP) and the “Yeremyan Projects” Group have officially launched their joint initiative the “Milk in Schools: Lori and Yerevan" program. The date is symbolic, as the last Wednesday of September, which fell on September 25 this year, is celebrated globally as World School Milk Day.

The event was opened with welcoming speeches by the Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of the Republic of Armenia, Araksia Svajyan; the representative and country director of the UN World Food Programme in Armenia, Nanna Skau; the head of the EDB Office in Armenia, Armen Melkikyan and the General Director of Yeremyan Projects, Davit Yeremyan.

In her welcome speech, Araksia Svajyan, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport, emphasized: "This is a unique program that brings together the efforts of several international organizations, the private sector, and state institutions. The involvement of private organizations in the educational process and fostering collaboration is very important. Last year, with the support of our partners, Yeremyan Projects and the UN World Food Programme, we implemented a program in the Vayots Dzor region, achieving excellent results. I am confident that all the schools participating in this program will achieve similar success."

Ahead of the launch, the parties implementing the program visited the schools selected for the program in order to assess the readiness of their kitchens and ensure that the schools are prepared for a smooth and successful start of the program. The WFP is also developing evaluation tools and behavior-change initiatives aimed at fostering healthy eating habits among children.

The event was held in a panel discussion format,  with the participation of  Armenian Deputy Minister of Economy Tatevik Sargsyan; the UN World Food Programme representative and country director in Armenia, Nanna Skau; the head of the EDB Office in Armenia, Armen Melkikyan; Siddhartha Sankar Datta, World Health Organization Representative and Head of the WHO Country Office in Armenia; Lusine Yeremyan, Group Marketing and Communications Director, Deputy General Director, and Group Management Board Member of Yeremyan Projects; Satenik Mkrtchyan, Head of the "School Meals and Children's Welfare" Agency, and Kristine Galstyan, Chief Specialist of the Public Health Department of the Armenian Ministry of Health. 

The discussion was moderated by Armen Harutyunyan, a member of the academic council of the Global Fintech Institute of Singapore.

During the panel discussion, the speakers presented both the features of the new phase of the "Milk in Schools" program and the prospects for its implementation. They also discussed the importance of milk as a vital food source for the growth and development of school-aged children and introduced planned measures to promote milk consumption as a healthy food among children and adults in Armenia during breakfast.

"WFP has always prioritized children's nutrition, health, and well-being, emphasizing their role in academic success and progress. Through the 'Milk in Schools' program, we aim to raise awareness among Armenian schoolchildren about the importance of a balanced diet. Thanks to our cooperation with the EDB and Yeremyan Projects, we are contributing to building a healthy future for children in Armenia, starting with a simple but crucial step—drinking a glass of milk a day," said Nanna Skau, the representative and country director of the UN World Food Programme in Armenia.

"As many of you know, children in Armenia often skip breakfast and are already hungry by 10 a.m., which affects their concentration and focus on lessons. Additionally, because they are hungry after school, they frequently eat unhealthy food," Ms. Skau emphasized, noting that this event and their initiatives are aimed at helping to eliminate these bad habits and encourage healthier habits among children.

According to Armen Melkikyan, the head of the EDB Office in Armenia, this is their first experience of cooperation with the EDB, WFP, and Yeremyan Projects.

"We are very pleased to have this opportunity, especially since this is the second phase of our joint project with Yeremyan Projects. We are advancing and expanding our collaboration, starting from farm and milk production to delivering milk to schoolchildren. In addition to supporting local production, we are also contributing to the establishment of a healthy diet among children. We hope that our project will positively influence schoolchildren by reducing their consumption of carbonated and unhealthy drinks,'' he said.

Armen Melkikian also mentioned that the agreement on continuing and expanding  this program between the UN World Food Program, the Eurasian Development Bank and the Yeremyan Projects group of companies was signed in June, 2024 during the EDB annual meeting.

"Since that phase, we have begun developing the project. In fact, the first pilot program was already implemented by Yeremyan Projects and the UN World Food Programme. Using it as a good example, we have scaled it up, as the pilot program included 2 schools, while our program will reach a total of 11 schools. A total of 1,350 students will benefit from free access to milk," Melkikyan elaborated.

The "Milk in Schools" program is an important collaboration aimed at promoting healthy eating and driving behavioral change in Armenia. I am pleased that schools in Yerevan are now included in the second phase of the program. The impressive  results from the pilot program implemented in two schools last year, in cooperation with the UN World Food Programme, have led to this expansion. They serve as the best evidence that we are pursuing the right strategy to achieve our goal of fostering a new culture of milk consumption," said Lusine Yeremyan, Group Marketing and Communications Director, Deputy General Director, and Group Management Board Member of Yeremyan Projects.

According to her, the multilateral cooperation within the framework of the program is exceptional because it involves not only state structures but also the private sector, which is a notable phenomenon.

Speaking about the quality of the company's products, Lusine Yeremyan emphasized that the milk of Yeremyan Projects is unique because it is based on the "From seed to table" concept. This means that the company is responsible for the entire milk supply chain and maintains complete control over each stage. Healthy food is a crucial factor in an effective learning process.

The program is founded on the idea that milk consumption during a critical period of development contributes to children's growth, fosters positive habits related to milk consumption, and reduces feelings of hunger in the morning before school meals. This, in turn, enhances concentration in the classroom and decreases the desire for unhealthy snacks. Therefore, including milk in the school diet is vital for meeting the energy needs of children.

To promote a healthier and more efficient start to the day, not only schools in the regions but also those in Yerevan will receive a glass of milk in the morning. Initially, the program includes 9 schools: 7 in the city of Stepanavan and the communities of Tashir and Metsavan in the Lori region, along with 2 schools in the Ajapnyak and Shengavit administrative districts of Yerevan. The program serves approximately 1,350 students in grades 5 to 9 at these schools.

During the event, a photo series titled "Milk is Love, Strength, and Health" was also presented. Representatives from state structures, non-governmental organizations, international and diplomatic bodies, schools, students, parents, and nutritionists participated in the launch of the "Milk in Schools: Lori and Yerevan" program and the World School Milk Day event.

Davit Mamyan