Brasília, June 6, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - This month, eighteen thousand day-care centers all across Brazil will begin to receive funds from the National School Nutrition Program. This announcement was made yesterday (5) in the Chamber of Deputies by the president of the National Educational Development Fund (FNDE), Hermes de Paula.

This year, R$ 21 million will be spent on nutritional assistance for 871 thousand children between 0 and 3 years of age. The value per child amounts to R$ 0.13 daily. In 2003, the funds will cover 151 days.

The Program is a right guaranteed by the Federal Constitution, and it is considered the biggest nutrition project in the world. "With the inclusion of the day-care centers, we will be caring for 25% of the Brazilian population," de Paula affirmed.

Each day, school lunch funds feed the equivalent of the population of Argentina. (DAS)