Diplomats from 17 countries take to runway for school meals
Dhaka: Ambassadors and high commissioners from 17 countries walked the ramp at the Thrive Benefit Fashion Show on October 30 to raise funds for Thrive Bangladesh's school meals program.
The event took place at Crowne Plaza Dhaka Airport, the show's hospitality partner, bringing together senior government officials, diplomats, heads of United Nations agencies, corporate sponsors, donors, and other guests.
European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh Michael Miller and his wife, Phillipa Wood, supported and led the initiative from its earliest stages, according to the organizers.
State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj attended as chief guest. He said the government is working to expand school meals nationwide and that initiatives like Thrive’s support its commitment to improving nutrition and keeping children in school, adding that no child’s education should be held back by hunger.
Thrive Bangladesh Chair Amna Rahman said some of the world's most seasoned diplomats stepped onto a runway for the country's children.
"Every ticket and every pledge turns directly into a meal in a child’s hands, and the difference between a child who can learn and one who cannot," she said.
Deputy Chair Kanwal Bakshi Bhagat said daily meals help children stay healthy and attend school regularly, allowing them to make the most of their education.
Ashwani Nayar, Area General Manager for IHG Southwest Asia and Cluster General Manager for Crowne Plaza Dhaka Airport and InterContinental Dhaka, said the hotel was honored to be the hospitality partner. He hoped the evening would mark the debut of "Dhaka's most meaningful annual event."
The funds raised will provide daily meals of fresh fruit, vegetables, and proteins such as eggs, milk, and nuts for 13 partner schools. They will also help Thrive add more schools that have requested its meals.
Karotoa Green Spinning Mills Ltd, City Bank PLC, Agile Minds Solution Ltd, Rancon, ZXY International, and Nestlé Bangladesh PLC sponsored the event. Thrive Bangladesh thanked them and Crowne Plaza Dhaka Airport for their support.
Thrive Bangladesh is a nonprofit that provides nutritious school meals to children across the country. Priscilla Perry Heffelfinger, Gina Gabel, and Regina Landor founded it in 2012 on the belief that no child should have to learn on an empty stomach.
