Limpho Sello
The Lesotho Red Cross Society is currently on a drive to answer to the immediate needs of food-insecure communities in light of skyrocketing food prices due to the prevailing El Niño-induced drought.
According to Lesotho Red Cross Communications Manager Tokoloho Khutšoane, the organization would be distributing food parcels for the months of March and April to 900 households in Mafeteng, Qacha’s Nek and Thaba-Tseka districts.
The food aid would be distributed to 300 households in each of the three districts to benefit 4500 family members, Ms Khutšoane said.
“These food-parcels are intended for vulnerable groups in those districts who really deserve the donations because they were identified during an assessment exercise that was carried out in the said districts from January to February by volunteers from the Lesotho Red Cross Society with the assistance of local authorities,” she said.
Ms Khutšoane said the food is funded by the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies(IFRC). The funding, she added, amounts to 77 000 Swiss Francs ( about M1 million). However, the Society did make an Appeal to the IFRC that the second leg of assisting the beneficiaries must be given funding so as to extend the assistance to the vulnerable families for four more months .
“We made an appeal for 550,000 CHF equalling about M7 million and we are still awaiting a response from IFRC. When it’s approved, we are hoping to extend to four more months, which means the Society would have the beneficiaries for months.
“If approved the Society will be giving the beneficiaries what is called Cash Transfer System where the Society will be giving beneficiaries vouchers that will enable them to buy food items at their local shops rather than having trucks deliver the food items to the villages. The voucher system will be very convenient both for the beneficiaries and Lesotho Red Cross because the vouchers are going to cut costs of logistics as we also want to avoid the logistical issues of having to hire trucks during the distribution period,” Ms Khutšoane said.
Ms Khutšoane further said through the Norwegian Red Cross, a communications person was sent to Lesotho to assess the situation and give feedback on the conditions she found in the field.
She said articles written by the communications person would help convince partners to support the National Society in the emergency.
The three districts were allocated to Lesotho Red Cross by Disaster Management Authority. The reason for allocating areas of operation is to avoid duplication.