VOA慢速英語:Hunger Costs Ethiopian Economy Billions Of Dollars

From VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report.

這里是美國之音慢速英語教育報道。

A new study shows that child hunger costs Ethiopia billions of dollars a year in economic losses. The research showed that in 2009, the country lost an estimated $4.7 billion because its children do not get enough to eat, that is equal to 16.5 percent of its Gross Domestic Product.

一項新研究顯示，兒童饑餓每年給埃塞俄比亞造成數(shù)十億美元的經(jīng)濟損失。該研究表明，在2009年，由于兒童吃不飽，該國估計損失了47億美元，相當于其國內(nèi)生產(chǎn)總值的16.5%。

The report says poor nutrition has slowed growth and development in two of every five children in Ethiopia, and it says 80 percent of malnourished children do not get treatments.

報告說，營養(yǎng)不良減緩了埃塞俄比亞2/5兒童的生長發(fā)育，同時80%營養(yǎng)不良的兒童未能得到治療。

The African Union Commission, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) and Ethiopian government agencies did the study. The research shows that malnutrition causes more than 20 percent of child deaths in Ethiopia. And the report notes that the deaths have reduced the number of working people in the country by eight percent.

非洲聯(lián)盟委員會、聯(lián)合國世界糧食計劃署(簡稱WFP)和埃塞俄比亞政府機構(gòu)進行了這項研究。研究結(jié)果表明，營養(yǎng)不良占到了埃塞俄比亞兒童死亡原因的20%以上。報告還指出，這一死亡使得該國勞動力減少了8%。

Elizabeth Byrs is a World Food Program official.

伊麗莎白·拜爾(Elizabeth Byrs)是世界糧食計劃署的官員。

"The study estimates that Ethiopia could reduce losses by $12.5 billion by 2025, if it reduces underweight rates to five percent and stunting to 10 percent."

她表示，“該研究估計，如果埃塞俄比亞能把體重不足的比例降低到5%，發(fā)育不良的比例降低到10%，那么到2025年就能減少125億美元的損失。”

The report says under developed or stunted children in early education repeat grades more than non-stunted children. In addition, stunted children in Ethiopia are more likely to drop out of school, meaning they will end their education before it is completed.

報告稱，與非發(fā)育不良的兒童相比，發(fā)育不良兒童在早期教育中留級次數(shù)更多。此外，發(fā)育不良的埃塞俄比亞兒童更容易輟學，這意味著他們會在畢業(yè)前停止接受教育。

Mrs Byrs said the effects of stunting do not end with childhood. Instead, she said, stunting remains a life-long problem. She said it affects both those who suffer from it, and the larger society. The report says nearly 70 percent of adults in Ethiopia have suffered from stunting as children. It says this means more than 26 million people of working age have not been able to reach their potential.

拜爾女士說，發(fā)育不良的影響不會隨著童年而結(jié)束。相反，她說，發(fā)育不良仍然是一個終身問題。她表示，這不僅會影響到發(fā)育不良者，還會影響到大社會。報告稱，埃塞俄比亞近70%的成年人在兒童時期經(jīng)歷過發(fā)育不良，這意味著超過2600萬適齡勞動力沒能達到他們的潛力。

The report notes that adults who were stunted as children are less likely to have jobs that require a lot of physical labor, because they generally are smaller. It says this results in earnings losses.

報告指出，在兒童時期發(fā)育不良的成年人不太可能獲得需要大量體力勞動的工作，因為他們一般身材比較小。報告稱，這會導致收入損失。

Mrs Byrs said the Ethiopian government recently launched a half-billion dollar National Nutrition Program, because the effects of the malnutrition are so severe. She said the government's program would provide food and vitamins to young children from birth through age 5. She said the goal is to prevent stunting during the first 1,000 days of life.

拜爾女士還表示，埃塞俄比亞政府最近推出了一個價值5億美元的國民營養(yǎng)計劃，因為影響不良造成的影響已經(jīng)相當嚴重。她說，這項政府計劃將為從出生到5歲的幼兒提供食物和維生素，其目標是在幼兒最初的1000天里防止發(fā)育不良。

Mrs Byrs also said the program will increase school feeding programs. She said support programs for pregnant and breast-feeding women will be developed in health centers and hospitals.

拜爾女士還表示，該計劃將會提升學校供餐計劃。她表示，孕婦和哺乳期婦女扶持計劃也將在保健中心和醫(yī)院開展。