WFP continues drought response amidst COVID-19

In the midst of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, World Food Programme (WFP) continues to maintain its drought response programmes which offer food assistance as a lifeline to vulnerable communities in Namibia.

WFP is on the frontlines, assisting hungry people that are often ill-equipped to respond to the pandemic. Through the support of USAID and the Government of China, WFP is delivering assistance to drought affected communities targeting 379,308 beneficiaries in the Kavango East, Kavango West, Oshana, Omusati, Oshikoto, Omahake, Kunene and Zambezi Regions.

Within the global community WFP’s priority is to ensure it has the resources in place to address the food and nutrition needs of the 87 million people it plans to assist in 2020. WFP strongly believes that when vulnerable households have access to food, they are able to do their part against COVID-19 by staying home and limiting the spread of the virus. Within Namibia this food assistance has touched the lives of many such as  Izabel Ihemba.

IZABEL'S STORY

Izabel Ihemba aged 45 is a beneficiary of the drought response programme. She lives with her six children and her unemployed domestic partner in a favela in Masivi Village,  in the Kapako constituency in the Kavango West region. Izabel is also unemployed and received no formal schooling,  but she has managed to provide for her family through subsistence farming, producing Mahangu, Mangongo (mangetti fruit) and selling woodcrafts.

Ihemba’s household receives five bags of maize meal amounting to 50 kgs, 7 kgs of beans, and 2 litres of cooking oil. A lifeline considering the impact the drought has had on her harvest and the economic implications to her as sole breadwinner.

Ihemba says, “This ration at least gives us an opportunity to have two meals per day. I am extremely thankful to the people who are helping us, and I encourage them to continue helping us. The only man in our compound is my unemployed husband, and this assistance is our only constant. I also, urge these samaritans to extend this help to other people in our surroundings especially elders.”

WFP Namibia remains committed to its mandate to save and change lives by ensuring food security and nutrition as outlined in Agenda 2030. In Namibia, the food assistance provided to beneficiaries like Izabel and her family are contributing to achieving Sustainable Development Goal two, 'Zero Hunger' and is in line with the call for the Decade of Action, mobilising WFP  to take urgent action on nutrition.  For more information, connect with WFP Namibia on Twitter and Facebook @WFP Namibia.