Touareg children learning Arabic and religion (Koran) from a marabout-teacher in an elementary school for nomads at Zongo Algabit, about 120 miles northwest of
Zinder, in eastern Niger. - - Elementary School Feeding for Nomads in Niger. When a devastating drought hit the Sahel during 1969-73, the World Food Programme assisted Niger with 4 emergency projects and with 3 quasi-emergency projects (total value: $8,050,000). Six additional WFP projects (total value: $6,834,000) are currently operational in Niger. WFP has launched a $2,316,000 primary school feeding project which covers some 130 rural boarding schools, including 90 village schools (5,800 pupils) and 40 nomadic schools (4,400 pupils), answering the Government's request for assistance to feed children in elementary schools for three academic years (270 school days each) ending in 1978, in order to implement its policy of expanding educational facilities. Through this project WFP provides 1,818 tonnes of millet/sorghum, 910 tonnes of wheat, semolina or rice, 136 tonnes of vegetable oil, 272 tonnes of dried skim milk and 272 tonnes of canned beef meat. The daily ration to pupils consists of 200 gms of millet/sorghum, 100 gms of wheat, semolina or rice, 15 gms of vegetable oil, 30 gms of dried skim milk and 30 gms of beef meat, amounting to 1,475 calories.