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UN: Children ‘going to bed hungry’ in bankrupt Sri Lanka

Children in Sri Lanka are “going to bed hungry” because of the island nation’s economic crisis, the UN said Friday (August 26), warning other South Asian countries could be approaching similar shortages.
Sri Lanka is grappling with its worst downturn on record after running out of foreign currency to buy imports, leaving scarce supplies of food, fuel and other essentials, the AFP reported, the Arab news said.
The crisis was being acutely felt by families who were “skipping regular meals” because kitchen staples were becoming unaffordable, said George Laryea-Adjei, the South Asia director for the UN children’s agency (UNICEF).
He told reporters: “Children are going to bed hungry, unsure of where their next meal will come from.”
Sri Lanka defaulted on its $51 billion foreign debt in April and is currently in bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund.
Soaring energy prices in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have also battered neighboring economies, and Laryea-Adjei said other countries in the region could face their own nutrition crises.

He said: “Acute economic precarity and inflation across South Asia is poised to further threaten the lives of children.”
“What I saw in Sri Lanka is a caution for other countries in South Asia.”
Sri Lanka looks to Saudi travelers to boost tourism industry
UNICEF has issued an appeal for $25 million to meet urgent needs for at least half of Sri Lanka’s child population.
The government this month issued its own appeal to tackle rapidly spreading malnutrition among children.
Official figures in 2021 showed 127,000 out of 570,000 pre-school students nationwide were malnourished.
Since then, officials believe the figures have skyrocketed because of the full impact of food shortages and spiralling inflation.
Former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country and resigned last month after thousands of protesters, infuriated by the country’s predicament, stormed his official residence.
Source: arabnews
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- April 23, 2025
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Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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