The World Food Programme (WFP) is disbursing US$12 per person in families in Zimbabwe as the UN agency tackles hunger in the country.
WFP Zimbabwe spokesperson Claire Nevill, speaking in Kwekwe, said the organisation was looking forward to scaling up support to over half a million people by March 2021.
Development Diaries understands that the southern African country is plagued by severe droughts and a weakened economy, causing food crisis.
Tens of thousands of people have been affected by Cyclone Idai – the worst natural disaster of 2019 that affected four provinces, namely, Manicaland, Masvingo, Midlands and Mashonaland East.
In September, USAID and WFP commenced cash disbursements for the Urban Social Assistance programme to provide relief for vulnerable families in eight urban areas across Zimbabwe struggling to meet their daily food needs due to the effects of Covid-19.
The financial assistance allowed WFP to provide support to over 103,700 people with monthly cash-based assistance equivalent to US$12 each, enabling them to meet almost two-thirds of their daily food requirements for the next six months.
It is understood that about 30,000 people are benefitting from the latest WFP programme in Kwekwe.
‘We have seen that these communities are benefitting so much because of the Urban Social Assistance programme right now, thanks to the vital support of USAID, which is funding the programme; the government; our implementing partner, Plan International, which is assisting us to make sure that we reach as many households as we can so that they can access this US$12 a month cash transfer’, Nevill said.
However, the WFP official said the humanitarian agency was expecting to get more funding.
Nevill said the agency was hoping to get funding to extend the programme and continue delivering in urban areas and the need to scale up to other areas.
‘We need to scale up to over half a million people by March 2020’, she said.
‘Some of the beneficiaries are getting essentials which are critical during this Covid-19 period as hygiene is very important.
‘The programme has allowed the beneficiaries to buy soap and washing powder, which are essential in the household, which they really need and they have not been able to afford but really needed them until the programme set in’.
Source: New Zimbabwe
Photo source: USAID in Africa
