Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) and Charoen Pokphand for Rural Lives' Development Foundation marked 30 years of "Raising Layer for Student's Lunch", a project that offer good nutritional status for over 150,000 students from 824 schools across the country.

The project was set up to tackle malnutrition among children and youth in rural area by helping them to access high-protein food sources from eggs. 

Baan Sean Sook School, Aranyaprathet, Sa Kaeo Province, joined the project in 2019. The school has adopted sustainable economy, a school’s philosophy and activities for 136 students, of which 70% are Cambodians and the remainders are Thai. 

Mr.Banjarong Worasetsuksiri, Director of Bann San Sook School, said CPF and Charoen Pokphand for Rural Lives' Development Foundation has supported 100 hens, feed and funded for the layer house construction. The company also sends expert and staff to provide farming and farm management knowledge to the school to ensure layer farm operation sustainably. In addition, students can use farmed skills which they learn from school at home to generate income. 

“The project is not only the important source of protein for students but also a knowledge centre for community to learn layer hen farming which will create income the people as well as hiring handicapped to support the project,” said Mr. Banjarong.  

The eggs from the project have become an important source of protein to students, while surplus eggs are sold to the local communities to generate income as working capital to run the project sustainability. 

Nethnapa So, 15, a student from Cambodia, said she bikes for 3 KM. to school every day. She is one of a volunteer to be assigned to feed the layers every morning and collected around 95 eggs a day in the afternoon. Students will enjoy variety of egg menus for their launch. Small surplus 

Jirawat Jitsamak, 13, a Thai student, said she learns to make fertilizer by mixing layer manure with husk which use for growing the school’s vegetable garden. Furthermore, the school are selling layer manure fertilizer at Bt50 per 3-kg bag. It is another income to fund the project

Mr. Somkid Wannalukkhee, Senior Vice President of CPF, said the project draws to upgrade quality of life of those students to have enough food supply. Particularly, layer hen will give the student have protein source.

The Raising Layer for Student’s Lunch Project was initiated in 1989 to enable students in rural areas to have access to high-protein food sources such as eggs. The Project also offers an opportunity for students to learn about the process of raising layers, management of produces, and selling them in the community to generate a revolving fund for the school which acts as a learning center for experience exchange within the community.