Confirmed coronavirus cases continue to increase, with 4,364 infections identified across the nation on 10 June 2020. And while the Government has indicated plans to ease lockdown policies in several stages over coming weeks, many people are still struggling to meet their basic needs.
Since measures to restrict the spread of COVID-19 were implemented, INF has worked with local and provincial governments to identify vulnerable and needy people in need of emergency food relief and other support. To date, INF has supported more than 1,000 households across ten districts with supplies of rice, pulses, salt, oil, sugar and soap.
In Surkhet, Mugu and Jumla, this relief effort (pictured above) for the most socially and economically vulnerable people has focused on supporting people with disabilities.
Daily wage labourers and bonded agricultural workers (such as haliya and khaliya caste-groups) have suffered particularly heavily. In Bajura, for example, INF helped purchase and deliver food to vulnerable families and supported the distribution efforts of the Local Government across our working area in Budhinanda Municipality ward no 1.
After the distribution of these essential supplies, Ward Chairperson Nirpa Karki responded, “The families who are suffering because they live hand to mouth and cannot work during the lockdown period receive great relief through the provision of food items. Now they are pleased, and able to enjoy these items with their family. We encourage such humanitarian responses for the further support of poor and deprived families like Haliya.”
One beneficiary, Jhimu, said, “My husband has been working for daily wages in the village and Kolti Bazar. It is all our family of six have to survive on. But during the lockdown, he can’t do daily labour work, and it has become challenging for us to survive. For more than a week, we have been living with just half a stomach because we have no food. Nobody in the village has provided us with food, even though we have worked for them because they also are afraid of a long lockdown. INF provided food for us, and we are thankful. I think now we can survive and I hope that local Government can then also support us. We are very happy with INF Nepal and give thanks to all who helped with the support.”
