Press Release

The Humpty Dumpty Institute

HDI Wins New $3.67 Million Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture

April 22 2008

New York City -  The Humpty Dumpty Institute (HDI) has been awarded a new Dole-McGovern Food for Education grant valued at $3.67 million by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. HDI will receive $2.94 million in cash resources and an additional $727,000 in transportation costs to continue its UXO clearance and direct feeding operations in Laos for another 15 months.  Nearly 700 metric tons of beans, canned salmon, corn, soy plant, milled rice and vegetable oil will be shipped to Laos to feed approximately 12,000 children daily starting in September, 2008.  HDI will also continue its very productive partnership with Mines Advisory Group (MAG) and International Relief & Development (IRD) to implement this program. 

HDI was among only eight of 67 NGOs that received a new award this year.  For the past 15 months, HDI has successfully managed the first and only USDA Food for Education project in Laos.  As the first year in Laos closes out, HDI has surpassed most of its original goals.  The partnership has cleared over 600,000 square meters of UXO-infested land in and around 100 schools in Khammouane Province, Laos’ poorest province.

In addition, the partnership is feeding nearly 12,000 children everyday with mid-morning nutritional snacks.  It has provided health training to nearly 5,000 students, and has improved school facilities in over 50 villages.  It has provided take-home rations for 5,000 young girls in 90 schools.  And, most importantly, it has increased by 20% the number of kids going to school in Khammouane Province from 10,000 to 12,000. 

Constance Milstein, Chairman of HDI, called the new award a “very significant commitment on the part of USDA and a reflection of the vitality of HDI’s program in Southeast Asia.”  Since 2002, the Humpty Dumpty Institute has received nearly $13 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for agricultural development and landmine/UXO clearance programs in the developing world.

For more information on HDI’s program in Laos, contact Joseph Merante at (212) 944-7111.