Tetra Pak, the manufacturer of food processing and packaging solutions, and Tetra Laval, the parent company of Tetra Pak, Sidel and DeLaval, have launched a school milk programme together with the government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.
The three-year programme is expected to benefit approximately 45,000 primary school children, helping to improve the consumption of milk at critical growth ages and to boost development of the local dairy industry.
“The school milk programme is an initiative by Tetra Laval and Tetra Pak to play an active part in the development of Myanmar,” said Rusty Kekuewa, Tetra Pak vice president for South and Southeast Asia. “For decades, our Food for Development Office has worked with governments around the world to promote children’s health and education by initiating and supporting school milk programmes.”
Milk’s benefits for children are said to include calcium that builds stronger bones and teeth; proteins for the creation of new cells and repair of damaged cells; vitamins B and C for development of brain cells; vitamin A for eyes and eyesight; and vitamin D for absorption of calcium.
The Myanmar school milk programme commences with the new school year that starts this month. It will provide packaged ready-to-drink, long-life UHT milk at school to children in Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon and Mandalay for the next three years. The Ministry of Education has nominated 205 schools to participate in this programme.
Initially, milk for the school milk programme will be processed and packed in neighbouring Thailand.
“In time we hope that manufacturers in Myanmar will see an opportunity for providing UHT milk locally, supplied by local dairy farmers,” said Kekuewa.
Through its Food for Development Office and network, Tetra Pak cooperates closely with governments, development agencies, NGOs, local dairy processors and farmers to support school milk programmes and dairy industry development. In 2012, 8.2 billion packages of milk and other drinks in Tetra Pak packages were provided to 67 million children in schools in over 60 countries.
