The "Safety Net for the Vulnerable People of the Haitian Population Affected by the Coronavirus" Project (HA-L1145) is progressing rapidly.

This project allows the Haitian Government to support the population facing the needs related to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and its implementation is ensured by the Economic and Social Assistance Fund (FAES) which has recruited specialized operators such as the Bureau of Nutrition and Development (BND), the Program Alimentaire Mondial (WFP) and the Association of Volunteers for International Service (AVSI) for the implementation of field activities.

Component 1 of this project relating to support for the existing school feeding program has given satisfactory results to date. 98,578 students in 295 public and non-public schools in the departments of Artibonite, North, North-East, North-West and West were served.

The BND, which is responsible for carrying out school canteen activities, provided the targeted schools with nutritional assistance and technical and logistical support in the preparation of meals. Also, training sessions were held for the cook staff, members of the management committee, among others, during the months of October, November and December 2020.

Remember that nearly 2.4 million hot meals and snacks (made up of 51.41% of local products) were distributed in the 295 schools affected.

Under Component 2 of the project, 21,010 vulnerable families received financial assistance through cash transfers totaling more than 143 million gourdes and food aid of 404 metric tons of food for the period from December 2020. in February 2021. The beneficiaries are located in certain municipalities in the departments of Artibonite, North, North-East and North-West.

The first cycle of distribution of "vouchers" to people who are in a situation of extreme poverty has already taken place in the commune of Cité Soleil where 15,000 beneficiaries have been served. The same quantity is being distributed to the Martissant district in Port-au-Prince.

This Project which began in July 2020 will end in December 2021. It will allow the financing of the school canteen for the 2020/2021 academic year in six departments and food and financial assistance to nearly 139,000 needy families throughout the country.

HL/ HaitiLibre