The European Union (EU) has provided 3,5 million euro in funds to humanitarian organisation Save the Children to mitigate the immediate effects of food insecurity in Zimbabwe.
BY BLESSED MHLANGA
Save the Children yesterday said, through the fund, it would organise cash transfers for 78 000 of the most vulnerable people across eight districts affected by the El Niño-induced drought.
“Save the Children will lead in the implementation of a mobile cash transfer and resilience building project in partnership with three other non-governmental organisations — Plan, Care and World Vision — over a four-month period, starting from April to July 2016,” the humanitarian organisation said in a statement.
“The implementing agencies will provide an additional 480 000 euro as matching funds to the project, bringing the total investment to 3,9 million euro. The eight districts to be covered are Binga, Kariba, Bubi, Lupane, Nkayi, Gokwe South, Chiredzi and Mutasa.”
Save the Children country director, Brian Hunter said the EU contribution would help alleviate hunger among the most vulnerable households affected by food shortages.
“These include child-headed households and the elderly, through provision of money via the mobile cash transfer platform to enable them to purchase food on the local markets,” he said.
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An estimated 2,8 million people in rural areas are food-insecure, according to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee Lean Season Monitoring Report released in January.
Matabeleland North, Midlands, Masvingo, Mashonaland West and Matabeleland South reportedly have the highest prevalence of food insecurity.
The EU supports disaster response activities for vulnerable people around the world.
Last December, the EU mobilised 12 million euro to finance emergency responses in Southern African countries affected by El Niño.
