By Neo Kolane
WFP Lesotho has received additional funding of USD2.1million (M30.7million) from the USAID/ Bureau of Humanitarian Aid and USD300,000 (M4.4million) from Canada.
A statement issued yesterday by UN Lesotho says this has enabled the expansion of the lean season assistance from the current 6,300 to 13,141 households in the districts of Mokhotlong, Thaba-Tseka and Maseru, up to June 2021.
Head of office in the resident coordinator’s office, Vimbainashe Mukota says the targeted households have also been adversely affected by COVID-19 after many of them lost their means of income.
Mukota added that the beneficiaries will be supported through a commodity voucher redeemable at local retail shops and mobile cash transacted through mobile company Vodacom’s Mpesa platform. Each household receives a monthly entitlement amounting to LSL811.
“The food intervention support includes a Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) component focusing on improving women, men, boys` and girls’ knowledge on nutrition, HIV awareness and other care practices that contribute to improved household food security and nutritional status,” Mukota said.
