(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Doha: Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has completed a project to control the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the Republic of Kosovo by supporting the low-income families worst affected by the virus.
The project aims to meet the basic food and hygiene needs of the families living in quarantined areas, widowed women with orphaned children, lonely older people without care, and impoverished families.
The Red Cross of Kosovo undertook the purchase of food and hygiene items through bidding from suppliers. They also conducted socioeconomic studies to select the priority families as beneficiaries under the relevantly applicable regulations.
In the presence of the Secretary-General of the Red Cross of Kosovo Agron Humolli, the host National Society's volunteers distributed food baskets and hygiene kits to 271 financially affected families in 26 municipalities across the country.
Kosovo has one of the highest poverty rates in eastern Europe. According to the Kosovo Agency of Statistics and the World Bank, 5.2% of the population lives in extreme poverty. The overall unemployment rate is very high, at 30.5%.
Fortunately, the number of people affected or killed by the coronavirus has been insignificant, but the economic damage is more prominent. The number of low-income families seeking help from the Red Cross of Kosovo is quite large, with the current situation causing even more, to apply for emergency assistance.
This project is a lifeline for those living hand-to-mouth, saving them from total lack of subsistence, towards QRCS's humanitarian mission of saving lives and preserving dignity. It is part of QRCS's initiative to back the fellow National Societies in 22 countries across six continents, aimed at protecting 320,000 persons against the virus, with a total budget of QR2,236,827. These countries are Palestine, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Tajikistan, Mongolia, Laos, Vanuatu, Ethiopia, Chad, Senegal, Mauritania, Ivory Coast, Mali, Sierra Leone, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Venezuela, El Salvador, Peru, and Panama.
The list of activities conducted by QRCS in support of those countries includes the provision of equipment and supplies for health facilities, provision of medicines and medical supplies, protection for medical professionals and volunteers, provision of food and shelter for families worst affected by the loss of income, and provision of protective supplies (masks, gloves, sanitisers, etc.).
MENAFN26112020000063011010ID1101189230
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.