Amman, June 18 (Petra) -- Tkiyet Um Ali on Thursday launched an awareness campaign titled "Nutritional Poverty Holds Back Their Growth" to highlight the impact of nutritional poverty on children's health, development and learning, while calling for greater efforts to ensure vulnerable children have access to healthy and balanced diets.

The organization said many children living in vulnerable households continue to face challenges in accessing sufficient and diverse food, affecting their health, concentration and academic performance.

It noted that deficiencies in essential nutrients, particularly iron, remain among the most significant consequences of nutritional poverty, increasing the risk of anaemia and hindering children's physical growth and cognitive development.

According to the 2023 Jordan Population and Family Health Survey, nearly one-third of children in Jordan, or 32 percent, suffer from anaemia, while 8 percent experience stunting or wasting, both key indicators of malnutrition and inadequate intake of essential nutrients required for healthy growth.

The campaign builds on Tkiyet Um Ali's 2014 "Bread and Tea" initiative, which highlighted the challenges faced by children whose diets lack nutritional diversity and adequate nutritional value.

The organization stressed that nutritional poverty extends beyond hunger, affecting children's health, growth, educational attainment and long-term potential.

Tkiyet Um Ali currently supports around 20,000 vulnerable families across Jordan through monthly sponsorship programmes, food parcels and meal distributions, in addition to its School Feeding Programme launched in November 2025.

The programme targets students in underserved public schools in Balqa, Jerash and Karak by providing daily natural date bars to children attending schools that do not benefit from regular food assistance programmes.

Rich in fibre and natural energy, the date bars are designed to support students' nutritional needs and improve concentration during the school day.

Tkiyet Um Ali Director General Samer Balkar said nutritional poverty has a direct impact on children's health, learning and development.

"When children do not receive the essential nutrients their bodies need, they become more vulnerable to health conditions such as anaemia, which can affect their energy levels, concentration and academic performance," he said.

Balkar stressed that investing in school feeding programmes is a practical solution that enables children to learn, grow and build better futures.

He added that access to nutritious food is "not a luxury, but a fundamental necessity" for every child's growth and development, noting that the campaign aims to raise awareness and mobilize broader support to ensure vulnerable children receive food that supports both their health and educational outcomes.

Coinciding with the campaign launch, Tkiyet Um Ali introduced a community giving initiative based on a "Buy One, Donate One" model, allowing individuals to donate one date bar for every participating date bar product purchased.

Under the initiative, each purchase automatically provides an additional date bar to a child enrolled in the School Feeding Programme.

The organization said the initiative will help expand the programme's reach while encouraging greater community participation in tackling nutritional poverty and its impact on children's health and education.

Tkiyet Um Ali called on individuals, companies and institutions to support the School Feeding Programme and contribute to the campaign through its official donation channels to help provide nutritious food to children most in need.

//Petra//