Sovazo to resume distribution of food parcels: Director asks people not to be selfish

The director at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing (Sozavo), Angela Salmo, has urged people not to be selfish by taking multiple food parcels. “You are not thinking about others who need it just as much as you. Each person who is registered will get one food parcel. This way we can help more people who are in need of aid,” said Director Salmo at Tuesday’s COVID-19 press conference. A number of things went wrong on Monday, the first day of the distribution of the COVID-19 aid parcels. Officials therefore decided to put the distribution of the food parcels on hold in order to reorganize everything. “The software malfunctioned which is why we had to register people manually. That is also why we could not check if a person had already received a parcel. Some people managed to receive two to three parcels. We deem that regrettable,” said Salmo who added that the huge turnout made the ministry realize that it needed more distribution centers. “Many people showed up on Monday although it was not their turn and others presented a whole bunch of family books at the registration desk. All of this resulted in big crowds at the distribution centers and a huge delay in the distributions. From now on we will keep a strict eye on everything and we urge people to show up at the distribution centers on the day that they are allowed to leave their houses,” said Director Salmo who added that officials will no longer allow people to bring the papers of others at the registration. Everybody must go to the distribution center in person if he or she wants to get registered.