NAQOURA, OCTOBER 19 – UNIFIL’s Italian peacekeepers launched a campaign in south-western Lebanon to distribute food packages to needy families in order to improve the food security situation of the host communities.
UNIFIL Sector West Commander Brig. Gen. Andrea Di Stasio said the support followed requests from local communities in light of the worsening economic situation, which is further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic: “It is in this context that the idea of a concrete response of the Italian contingent towards the Lebanese people was born,” said Brig. Gen. Di Stasio.
The UNIFIL peacekeepers have partnered with the Red Cross and community volunteers in distributing 30.5 tonnes of food packages in five Lebanese villages over the coming weeks: Ayta as-Sha’b, Bint Jbeil, Burj Ash Shamali, Tibnin and Tyre. An estimated 1,500 families will benefit.
During the launch of the campaign in Tyre yesterday, the peacekeepers handed over the first 60 kits to the Red Cross of the Municipality of Tyre.
A recent survey by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) on the impact of Lebanon’s economic crisis and of the COVID-19 outbreak revealed that food has become a major source of concern with 50 per cent of Lebanese respondents saying they worried about having enough food to eat.
The head of the Red Cross of Tyre, Mouzayyan Silklawi Ajami, expressed her appreciation for the support. “Despite the risk of COVID-19 to their lives, once again the Italian soldiers have demonstrated that they are bearers of a culture of peace and solidarity that has reached the hearts of us Lebanese, demonstrating with deeds and feelings of sincere brotherhood,” she said. (@OnuItalia)
