Sri Lanka receives $ 39.8 million WFP assistance

The Executive Board of World Food Programme (WFP) on Thursday the November 11th approved the protracted relief and recovery operation (PRRO) for Sri Lanka totaling a US $ 39,755,501 aid with the objective of reducing hunger, support early recovery and rebuild livelihoods among internally displaced persons (IDPs) and recent-returnee households. This one-year protracted relief and recovery operation titled “Supporting Relief and Early Recovery in Former Conflict-Affected Areas” will focus on targeting humanitarian and early recovery needs in the north, while integrating a strong protection element to ensure that remaining internally displaced persons are adequately cared for until resettlement.

The operation will target 371,000 beneficiaries comprising internally displaced persons in camps, returnees and host communities according to WFP.

“WFP will shift from an emphasis on relief for internally displaced persons to a more targeted approach supporting early recovery activities such as school feeding and nutrition interventions in the resettlement areas of the north” said WFP in a statement announcing the support aid for Sri Lanka.

Ambassador Hemantha Warnakulasuriya thanking the WFP said that providing adequate food, supporting early recovery activities and restoring livelihoods devastated by three decades of conflict will build hope for a better future among the conflict affected people in the North, which is essential for reconciliation and peace. Ambassador Warnakulasuriya noted that the WFP assistance under this PRRO is in line with government and humanitarian planning priorities.

The early recovery strategy of this programme will focus on restoring the individual and community productive assets of recently returned households, and will be linked to longer-term development initiatives. “The priority will be to help people prepare for the next major harvest. A mother-and-child health and nutrition programme will be implemented through health centres, to provide essential nutritional support to the most vulnerable, and a school meals programme will complement nutritional inputs in the north.” WFP further said in its statement.