Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube
Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, July Moyo, has announced that the government’s Food Cash Program will not benefit residents in low-density urban settlements. Instead, the program will focus on supporting vulnerable populations in high-density areas.
“Those living in low-density areas will cater for themselves, while those in high-density areas who meet specific criteria will receive support,” Minister Moyo said at a drought mitigation strategy workshop.
The program’s beneficiaries will be identified through community-based selection, prioritizing:
- People with disabilities
- Child-headed families
- The elderly
- Food-insecure families
- The unemployed or those who lost jobs due to circumstances
Minister Moyo emphasized that the program aims to make a meaningful impact in the lives of Zimbabweans, targeting those most in need. The amount each beneficiary receives will depend on the cost of 7.5kg of mealie meal, aligning with what rural beneficiaries receive.
According to the 2024 Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment, 1.7 million people in urban areas need food aid, while 6 million in rural areas are vulnerable to hunger due to the El-Nino-induced drought.
This publication previously reported that the cretiria used to exclude members of the community from the Eastern suburban areas of Zimbabwe was incorrect.
There are suburbs such as Saucertown who have extremely vulnerable elderly. How did the enumarators miss these citizens. There are some as well in Queenspark West and some parts of Northend.
These areas were pointed out to the Minister but seemingly they still have been excluded.
Zim GBC News©2024