JAKARTA, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia launched its free meal program on Monday, a key initiative of the government led by President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, to improve the nutrition of its citizens.
"Our goal is to reach 3 million beneficiaries from January to April," said Dadan Hindayana, head of the National Nutrition Agency, on Monday. He emphasized that the program will be implemented in stages, with daily evaluations to ensure effective delivery.
The initial phase is being rolled out in 26 of the country's 38 provinces, prioritizing school students as the first group to receive assistance. It will then include toddlers, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.
Hasan Nasbi, head of the Indonesian Presidential Communication Office, reported that 190 kitchens are currently operational to provide meals across the 26 provinces. He expressed hope that the program will achieve a target of 937 kitchens by the end of January, with an ultimate goal of 5,000 kitchens by the end of 2025, capable of serving up to 20 million beneficiaries.■