The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)
today began its second phase of flood response for communities hardest-hit by
the August floods.
Nearly 47,000 families, or approximately 235,000 people, in Cumilla, Feni,
Moulavibazar, Noakhali and Laxmipur districts are receiving cash assistance
to aid their recovery and rebuilding efforts, said a WFP press release.
In this assistance, WFP is leveraging existing government social protection
systems to target around 106,000 women whose families were severely impacted
by the August floods and who are enrolled in the Mother and Child Benefit
Programme (MCBP) and the Vulnerable Group Development Programme (VGDP).
Each woman will receive a one-time cash transfer of BDT 6,000 (US$50) via
bKash, a mobile financial service app.
This support is crucial for helping families meet their nutritional needs,
which have been compromised by the hardships caused by the floods.
Moreover, WFP is closely monitoring market functionality and food security to
ensure that
those not covered by social protection schemes receive assistance
if needed. WFP is ready to provide assistance to 120,000 more households in
these districts, if more fund scan be mobilized soon.
Since late August, nearly 6 million people across southeastern and
northeastern regions, particularly Chattogram and Sylhet Divisions, have been
affected by the worst floods Bangladesh has seen in decades.
WFP has been on the ground, delivering critical food aid to affected people
seeking safety in shelters or being cut off by water logging.
To date, over 120,000 families, around 600,000 people, in Cumilla, Feni,
Noakhali, Moulvibazar, Laxmipur and Cox’s Bazar districts have received a
one-time distribution of WFP’s fortified biscuits to meet their immediate
food needs.
To aid their continued recovery and rebuilding efforts, WFP will provide
further assistance through different cash-for-work schemes. Around 90,000
households will participate in rehabilitating or restoring essential
community facilities
and arable land damaged by the floods.
One able-bodied member from each family will work for 15 days and get paid
BDT 500 per day. Additionally, 15,000 vulnerable households without able-
bodied members will engage in income-generating activities (IGAs) tailored to
their needs.
“As the floodwaters begin to recede, families will move from shelters back to
their homes, but many have lost everything. While markets are slowly
reopening, people still need support to access food,” said WFP Country
Director DomScalpelli.
“WFP’s response is focused on helping them transition back to normalcy, while
also offering livelihood opportunities to build stronger and more resilient
communities,” he added.
WFP requires a total funding of US$35 million for its planned response.
However, a significant amount, US$31 million, still needs to be raised.
WFP sincerely thanks Canada, Sweden, and its private donors (through
ShareTheMeal app) for their contributions, which have been critical in
enabling its response thus
far.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangsthal