OPEC FUND GRANTS $600,000 TO UNRWA’S EMERGENCY GAZA FOOD PROGRAM

Gaza, 4  Muharram/17 October 2015 (MINA) – The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has responded to the recent UNRWA Emergency Appeal with a contribution of $600,000 in order to support UNRWA’s emergency food distribution in Gaza.

The food assistance program aims to mitigate extreme poverty and food insecurity, which was an outcome of the blockade imposed on Gaza since 2006.

Since 1979, OFIC provided more than $146 million to support around 500 UNRWA operations in the occupied Palestinian territory and Lebanon.

OFID’s donation of $600,000 allowed UNRWA to provide their quarterly food assistance consisting of flour, rice, sugar, sunflower, oil, milk powder, and canned meat to 7,499 poor families, International Islamic News Agency (IINA) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

These components are provided to poor families in order to meet their daily caloric requirements.

In addition to OFID’s traditional support to UNRWA’s education, vocational training, emergency relief and humanitarian aid programs, OFID expanded its partnership with UNRWA in 2004 by establishing PalFund, which aims at extending small loans to productive entrepreneurs and artisans for income growth.

Since Palfund’s inception, over 60,000 loans worth around $87 million were given to Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory. (T/Imt/R04)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)