Japan donates US$1,25m for vulnerable people
JAPAN has donated US$1,25 million through the World Food Programme (WFP) to support about 11 000 vulnerable and food insecure people in Zimbabwe who have been severely hit by climate change and COVID-19.
In a statement yesterday, Japanese ambassador to Zimbabwe Satoshi Tanaka said the donation would go a long way in improving nutrition for the vulnerable communities as well as building their resilience.
“We hope that this assistance will help to alleviate their hardship during the current humanitarian crisis, and make them more resilient to climate shocks in the future,” Tanaka said.
Japan’s contribution comes at a time many people are struggling to feed themselves as a result of successive droughts and COVID-19-induced economic hardships.
WFP country representative Francesca Erdelmann said: “This contribution will enable Zimbabwean communities to move out of food insecurity and towards sustainable livelihoods.”
The WFP has been appealing for funds to feed more than half the southern African country’s population.
Japan has contributed to food assistance and community resilience building activities for vulnerable communities in Zimbabwe throughWFP, with over US$23 million provided in funding since 2019.