USDA MCGOVERN-DOLE (MGD)
FOOD FOR EDUCATION AND
CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM
Kyrgyz Republic 2021-2026
NOVEMBER 2023
BACKGROUND
For more than a decade, Mercy Corps (MC) has served
as an implementing partner of the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) McGovern-Dole
(MGD) International Food for Education and Child
Nutrition Program. In 2012-2023, MC supported 767
primary schools in the school feeding organization.
As part of the program, Mercy Corps is supporting the
development of bylaws on hot meals organization to the
new Education Act of August 11, 2023 to:
1. Improve the literacy of school-age children
2. Increase the use of the best health, nutrition, and
dietary practices among primary grade students
and their communities.
RESULTS IN 2021-2022
Mercy Corps works within the framework of a
memorandum of cooperation with the Ministry of
Education and Science, Ministry of Health, and State
Agency for Civil Service and Local Self-Government under
the Ministers Cabinet of the Kyrgyz Republic.
School feeding is a cornerstone
of high academic performance
and well-being of children.
As part of the MGD Program for the period 2021 through
2023, Mercy Corps and partners Research Triangle
Institute (RTI), Borlaug Institute:
● Supported the hot meals launch in 256 schools of the
first and second cohorts through rehabilitation of
school kitchens and provision of kitchen equipment.
● Implemented 120 water and sanitation improvement
projects.
● Trained over 1,000 community activists and health
workers on sanitation and hygiene topics.
● Provided five USD-donated commodities (fortified
flour, vegetable oil, peas, lentils, rice) and locally
produced kefir.
● Trained 220 school cooks through short- and long-
term training programs, provided them with uniforms
and cooking guides.
● For the first time in Kyrgyzstan, developed an online
course for training cooks.
● Implemented school orchards projects in 30 schools.
● Provided over 69,000 books to schools and public
libraries.
● Trained 300 school principals to conduct mentoring
using SabakApp.
● Trained 500 teachers and librarians on improvement
of basic reading skills of elementary school students.
PLANS FOR 2024-2026
● Implementing a Social Behaviour Change strategy.
● Promotion of a social behaviour change app.
● Publication of the Sustainability of School Feeding
Study results, followed by the development of a
national strategy.
● Adaptation of the Junior Master Gardener training
module and its accreditation by the Kyrgyz Academy
of Education.
● Supporting 160 schools of the third cohort to launch
hot meals through school kitchens rehabilitation,
provision of kitchen equipment and food commodities.
● Training of about 100 rural health workers on child
nutrition topics.
● Implementation of over 170 water and sanitation
improvement projects.
● Transferring more than 100,000 books to public
libraries.
● Observing lessons in 416 schools, providing feedback
and mentoring support to teachers.
ABOUT MERCY CORPS
Mercy Corps is a global team of humanitarians working
together on the front lines of today’s biggest crises to
create a future of possibility, where everyone can prosper.
Our mission: to alleviate suffering, poverty, and
oppression by helping people build secure, productive,
and just communities. In more than 40+ countries around
the world, over 5,400+ team members work side by side
with people living through poverty, disaster, violent
conflict, and the acute impacts of climate change.
CONTACT
0312 98 67 01
info-kg@mercycorps.org