Paraguay’s flagship school feeding initiative, Zero Hunger (Hambre Cero), has achieved a significant milestone reaching 19,000 workers nationwide. This development underscores the programme’s broader impact beyond providing nutritious meals to students.
The Zero Hunger programme aims to provide healthy meals to students, while simultaneously promoting economic and social development. A recent decree reinforces the programme’s commitment to engaging local producers and small enterprises, ensuring transparency and sustainability in its operations.
Nine million meals across Paraguay
Beyond its nutritional objectives, Zero Hunger has had a positive impact on school attendance and community engagement. In its first week, the programme delivered approximately nine million meals across the country, contributing to improved student participation and well-being. According to Paraguay’s authorities this shows that social aid is vital for many families relying on the programme.
Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Mónica Recalde, announced the achievement during a recent press conference. She highlighted that inspections across various departments have led to increased formal employment, with workers now holding official contracts and receiving social security benefits.
Zero Hunger programme grows
“We have reached 19,000 formalised workers,” stated Minister Recalde, noting that the programme aims to formalise approximately 23,800 workers in total. She emphasised that efforts would continue, particularly in regions where formalisation rates remain low.
In Asunción and Central Department, compliance rates among catering service providers are high, with 98% of workers formalised. However, in other regions, particularly rural areas, challenges persist. For instance, in the San Pedro Department, inspections prompted one company to increase its formalised workforce from 39 to 315 employees, while another company expanded from 1,200 to 1,709.
“From the Ministry of Labour, we will continue formalising workers and ensuring that this flagship programme not only meets the needs of children’s nutrition but also improves family incomes,” the minister stated.
