OFID SUPPORTED 7,499 FOOD UNSECURED FAMILIES IN THE GAZA STRIP
13 October 2015
The generous donation of US$ 600,000 allowed a total of 7,499 families (1,729 abject poor and 5,770 absolute poor) to receive the UNRWA quarterly food assistance that consists of flour, rice, sugar, sunflower, oil, milk powder, and canned meat. These components provided poor families with their daily caloric requirements.
The distribution to 42,519 beneficiaries of food commodities started in July 2015 at 12 distribution centres across the Gaza Strip and continued until September 2015.
About OFID
The OPEC Fund for International Development is the development finance institution of OPEC Member States, established to provide financial support for socio-economic development with a focus on low income countries.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions, and financial support has not kept pace with an increased demand for services caused by growing numbers of registered refugees, deepening poverty and conflict. As a result, the UNRWA General Fund, which supports core essential services and most staffing costs, operates with a large deficit. UNRWA emergency programmes and key projects, also operating with large deficits, are funded through separate funding portals.
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development potential, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, and microfinance.
For more information, please contact:
Christopher Gunness Spokesperson, Director of Advocacy & Strategic Communications Mobile: +972 (0)54 240 2659 Office: +972 (0)2 589 0267 c.gunness@unrwa.org
Sami Mshasha Chief of Communications, Arabic Language Spokesperson Mobile: +972 (0)54 216 8295 Office: +972 (0)2 589 0724 s.mshasha@unrwa.org
Milina Shahin Public Information Officer - Gaza Field Office Mobile: +972 599 609 485 Office: +972 8 2887213 m.shahin2@unrwa.org
http://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/press-releases/ofid-supported-7499-food-unsecured-families-gaza-strip