The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) ha said that the first batch of Koshi flood victims have completed vocational training course aimed at providing new careers to those who lost their livelihoods after the Koshi River broke through its embankment last year.

Under its food-for-training programme, more than 1,300 Koshi flood victims will receive job skills in areas such as carpentry, plumbing, electric wiring, masonry and tailoring, a statement by the agency said.

“After this round of training, people will have the expertise to start their own businesses which will help them to better feed their families and provide valuable services in their communities,” said Richard Ragan, WFP Country Director in Nepal.

WFP’s food for training programme provides a combined rice and lentil ration of 4.5 kg to each person per day while they are participating in training.

This phase of training, supported by UNHABITAT, is a part of WFP’s overall return and recovery programme which will provide 1,700 metric tons of food assistance to more than 40,000 Koshi flood victims through a combination of food-for-training and food-for-work activities. More than 88 food-for-work schemes including community fish ponds, fruit plantations, and rural roads will be constructed by Koshi flood victims by the end of September 2009.

“WFP is very focused on alleviating people’s hunger while at the same time enabling them to acquire new skills or build assets that will improve their longer-term food security,” said Ragan, adding that these programmes are a perfect example of how to achieve both goals.

Since the Koshi River flooded its banks in August 2008, WFP has provided 60,000 people with more than 7,700 tons of food as a part of emergency food distributions and food-for-work and food-for training activities. nepalnews.com