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Â鶹ÊÓƵ 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 ¨C and acute malnutrition ¨C 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, Â鶹ÊÓƵ¡¯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 Â鶹ÊÓƵ 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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