DMA FAMINE RELIEF PROGRAMME KICKS OFF IN ALL DISTRICTS

The Disaster Management Authority (DMA) through its Famine Relief Programme in Lesotho has started distributing food to over 600 000 beneficiaries in all ten districts in the country. In an interview, the DMA Information Officer, Mr. Majara Theko said the authority is distributing 50 kilograms of maize meal, 5 kilograms of beans, salt and cooking oil to each of the beneficiaries who are the disabled, the elderly, orphans and child headed families. He said each beneficiary would be entitled to these rations of food for the next 12 months.

Mr. Majara further indicated that there is also a proposed food distribution where able bodied Basotho men and women would be provided with maize meal, beans, salt and cooking oil after working in various developmental projects in their own villages. He explained that these people would be working for a ten-day shift on monthly rotational basis in order to get the food.

He said these people are expected to present their Project Proposals to their Constituency Offices, which will then be taken, to the District Offices and then from the District Offices to the DMA for final approval. The DMA Information Officer also said the government of Lesotho has subsidised maize meal in all the Supermarkets with 20 percent. The government of Lesotho and the United Nations (UN) supports this Famine Relief Programme. It is expected to end in August 2003.

23 September,2002