European Union supports Eswatini's hungriest with cash transfers through the World Food Programme

WFP will use the donation to scale up its current cash transfer operations from 20,000 to 94,000 families hit hard by the impacts of a poor 2020 harvest, lower earnings, rising prices and COVID-19. One-third of Eswatini’s population will be especially vulnerable to hunger in the run-up to the 2021 harvest, according to a recent government-led assessment.

The support from the EU’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department (ECHO) will assist the worst-affected people in rural and urban areas of Manzini, Lubombo and Hhohho regions. It will seek to prevent a further deterioration in food insecurity – and acute malnutrition – among the most at-risk, including children and the chronically ill.

A monthly cash transfer of SZL140 (US$8.48) per person or SZL700.00 (US$ 42.42) per family of five will be delivered via a mobile money platform established in partnership with MTN. The money can then be used by beneficiaries to pay for items of choice in local shops.

“We thank the European Union and other donors and partners for working with us and the government to provide much-needed support to vulnerable people affected by COVID-19 and other shocks”, said Cissy Byenkya, WFP’s Head of Office in Eswatini. “This timely contribution will help us address deepening food insecurity and malnutrition in children, particularly orphans, pregnant and breast-feeding women, and people living with HIV and AIDS”.

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies, building prosperity and supporting a sustainable future for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

 

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