COVID-19 response to the most vulnerable groups in selected districts in Sri Lanka - Phase 1
COVID-19 response to the most vulnerable groups in the selected districts of Sri Lanka was carried out by Sevalanka Foundation, with the funding support given by The Nippon Foundation. First phase of the project focused on providing dry rations packs to vulnerable families and supplementary nutrition packs for vulnerable families with children under the age of 5 years. Under this intervention 1,800 families benefited in Hambantota, Anuradhapura, Nuwara Eliya, Batticaloa, Vavuniya, Mannar, Killinochchi, Mullathivue and Jaffna. Dry ration distribution to the most vulnerable families took place from 11th of September to the 24th of September 2021, in the selected 9 districts. The most vulnerable families during the 4th wave of the COVID-19 pandemic were identified through the support of the divisional secretariat office, Grama Niladari, Samurdhi Officer, MOH Officers and Women Development Officers etc.
Priority was given to those families where the prime income earner of the family had temporarily or permanently lost his/her income generation avenues due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Identified vulnerable families in the community were supported with essential food items as per the government approved food items. The food package weight was approximately 21.5 kg and consisted of Rice, Wheat Flour, Sugar, Dhal, Sprats, Soya meat, Chick peas, Tea, Soap and a packet of face masks.
Supplementary and nutrition food packages for infants and Children below 5 of most vulnerable families were distributed during 11th September to the 13th October 2021, in selected 9 districts. Specific nutritional needs of the children during the COVID-19 Pandemic were highlighted to Sevalanka Foundation by the district level MOH officers. As per their advice and suggestion, a nutrition pack for the children below the age of 5 was prepared. These items were distributed to the most vulnerable families with 2 or more children below the age of 5. This package weighed 4.4 kg and comprised of Baby milk powder, Samaposha (pre-cooked cereal made of corn, soya, green grams and rice), Instant Cereal, Baby biscuits, Orid(Black gram) Powder and a small bottle of sanitizer.