$30 per month and person to poorest families through MOSA food vouchers

Within the framework of the project entitled “Emergency project to support poorest families in Lebanon” financed by the World Bank (USD 8.2 million), the Minister of Social Affairs, Rachid Derbas, launched yesterday a new service in the form of a temporary food vouchers available to the poorest families.  The vouchers are financed by the Lebanese government, the World Bank and UNHCR which contributed USD 3 million as well as technical support from the World Food Programme.  Derbas indicated that the total number of beneficiaries has reached 5,076 Lebanese families (or 27,209 individuals) considered to be the poorest and registered in the Project as such.  The number of beneficiaries is expected to reach some 36,000 persons by then end of this year. Derbas further clarified that each member of the targeted families receives an amount of USD 30 a month whilst the cap is put on 6 members per family.  He concluded by saying that the beneficiaries from the food vouchers are spread all over Lebanon but that the highest concentration can be found in the North and the Beqaa where poverty pockets are widespread, adding that Tripoli counts 922 beneficiaries whilst Akkar 2229 beneficiaries and Northern Beqaa 639 beneficiaries.

Source: Al-Nahar, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Diyar 6 October 2014