The EU has allocated €39 million to Malawi to mitigate the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the most vulnerable populations, the European Commission announced on Monday 26 October.
This ‘Team Europe’ envelope is financed by the EU, its Member States and the European Investment Bank.
The funds are provided “to boost nutrition and social protection for particularly vulnerable communities”. “Through this contribution, 280,000 pupils will be able to continue accessing school meals. This is key for their development and to their education”, the European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, highlights in a statement.
Sixteen million euro will increase funding for the ‘Afikepo’ programme (from €70 million to €86 million). The aid, implemented by the World Food Programme, will enable 200 primary schools in the south of the country to be supplied with meals by local small-scale farmers. Funding will also be provided to improve access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene.
A further €23 million is earmarked for the social cash transfer programme for vulnerable communities in rural areas. Currently, families living on less than $2 per day receive €1-12 per month paid every two months.
This supplement will increase the number of regular beneficiaries from 65,000 to 80,000 in 2021. Beneficiaries will receive a temporary supplement of 5,000 MWK (€5.60) for four months. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)