In Numbers
12,490 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lesotho, including 345 deaths and 6,602 recoveries (17 July 2021)
US$ 10 million six months (July-Dec 2021) net funding requirements
343,410 people targeted in 2021
Operational Updates
COVID-19
• The country has moved to the blue level coding stage, allowing for social and economic activities to resume while adhering to COVID-19 risk and mitigation measures under the COVID-19 Risk Determination and Mitigation Framework.
Crisis Response
• The USAID and Government of Canada funded emergency response that has been ongoing for three months (AprilJune) has ended in the three districts – Mokhotlong, ThabaTseka and Maseru – where a total of 57,193 people residing in rural and urban community councils were targeted. The cash and voucher modalities were adopted and each household was entitled to approximately USD 54 per month. The commodity voucher was distributed through a network of local retailers contracted by WFP while cash was transferred through the Vodacom Mpesa mobile money platform. In June, a total of 50,752 people were assisted in the three districts. WFP experienced operational challenges that adversely affected reaching all the planned beneficiaries in June; beneficiaries that were planned for and not assisted in June will be assisted in the second week of July.
School Feeding
• Schools were abruptly closed three days before the end of the second quarter as per the 2021 school calendar. The closure was due to the 3rd wave of COVID-19 threat which affected many schools and had already forced a closure of some schools in Leribe district. The schools are scheduled to reopen on 2 of August 2021 for the third school term. WFP is working with the Ministry of Education to ensure that preprimary learners will receive nutritious meals when schools open. WFP is providing financial support for the provision of school meals at pre-primary level to 60,000 pre-school leaners in the country. WFP is also providing technical support to the Ministry of Education and Training to implement home grown school feeding programme; and the Ministry of Education and Training and WFP have signed a technical assistance memorandum of understanding. The ministry has recently requested financial and technical support from WFP for the review of the school feeding policy, and the private sector implemented school feeding programme at primary level. The concept note to guide the undertaking of the requested reviews is currently being reviewed by the country office with the support of the Regional Bureau.
Source: World Food Programme