KOICA Provides Emergency Food and Masks to Vulnerable Groups in Cambodia

Food Aid for 10,000 Vulnerable Cambodians Including Disabled, Refugees, and Extremely Poor 2,000 Households
Food Packages Containing 25kg Rice, Dried Fish, and Local Products Along with Masks Provided

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) announced on the 27th that it has provided emergency food kits to about 10,000 vulnerable people in Cambodia who are struggling to make a living due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

Cambodia has suffered significant economic damage due to a sharp decline in foreign investment, suspension of garment factory operations, and a drop in tourists after COVID-19. Not only the extremely poor but also garment factory workers and tourism-related service workers have lost their sources of income, making it difficult to sustain their livelihoods.

Accordingly, KOICA Cambodia Office is delivering food kits to about 10,000 people in 2,000 vulnerable households, including floating house refugees, slum dwellers near garbage disposal sites, people with disabilities, and low-income groups (holders of low-income verification cards) in six regions of Cambodia (Phnom Penh, Kampong Speu, Kratie, Oddar Meanchey, Battambang, Siem Reap) from the 11th to the 28th. These people are excluded from the Cambodian government's small disaster relief fund related to COVID-19.

The food kits contain 25kg of rice, 1kg of dried fish, 10 cans of canned fish, one box of ramen, 1kg of palm sugar, cloth masks, COVID-19 prevention education booklets, and a total of 12 types of food and health supplies.

In particular, KOICA composed 11 items, excluding cooking oil which is difficult to produce locally, entirely of local products. By delivering masks and food to vulnerable groups struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, KOICA also provided jobs to local residents through production volume.

The rice was purchased through local farmers' cooperatives. The palm sugar was produced by local impoverished farmers through KOICA's ongoing "Palm Sugar Business Value Chain Establishment Public-Private Partnership Project" in Cambodia.

The cloth masks were produced by the local social enterprise "Goel" and the vocational training school for the disabled "Banteay Preyup." All production profits from making these food kits go to women and people with disabilities.

Meanwhile, KOICA's emergency food kit support was carried out in collaboration with local governments in six Cambodian regions and eight Korea-based NGOs active in those areas.

No Hyun-jun, head of KOICA Cambodia Office, said, "This support not only helps vulnerable groups but also contributes to revitalizing Cambodia's market economy, which has been stagnant due to COVID-19, by composing all support items with Cambodian-produced products. By purchasing goods produced by social enterprises and labor unions supporting vulnerable groups, we considered how to provide practical help to vulnerable groups from the composition to the distribution of goods."

Meanwhile, this emergency support is part of KOICA Cambodia Office's comprehensive COVID-19 response project worth 1 million dollars. In addition to this support for food security and livelihood sustainability of vulnerable groups in Cambodia from a human security perspective, KOICA plans to continue supporting walk-through and negative pressure carriers to strengthen infectious disease management capabilities.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.