Termez State University implements a weekly institutional initiative entitled “The Plov Day”, organised every Thursday across its student dormitories.
The university operates nine student dormitories with a combined accommodation capacity of more than 4,500 residents. The Plov Day initiative is currently implemented across seven of these dormitories, ensuring regular access to freshly prepared meals for students residing there.
The initiative is led by the university administration and aims to promote student food security, ensure access to nutritious meals, and provide additional food assistance to students from economically disadvantaged households.
As part of this initiative, traditional Uzbek pilaf (plov) is prepared and distributed free of charge to students residing in the participating dormitories. The initiative also involves dormitory staff, university employees, teachers and other personnel working in the dormitories, who participate in the preparation and distribution of meals.
A particularly important component of the initiative is its targeted social support dimension. Special attention is given to students belonging to the bottom 20% of households by income, ensuring that students from the lowest-income socioeconomic groups have access to regular meals and are not excluded due to financial difficulties.
Beyond providing food, The Plov Day encourages community participation, solidarity and social inclusion within the university environment. By bringing together students, university management, academic staff and dormitory personnel, the initiative establishes a recurring system of food provision and mutual support.
Unlike one-time charitable activities, The Plov Day is conducted on a weekly basis, demonstrating Termez State University's ongoing institutional commitment to addressing student food insecurity.
Through this initiative, Termez State University contributes to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by improving access to food, supporting economically vulnerable students and promoting an inclusive university environment in which students' basic nutritional needs are recognised and addressed.