WFP Lesotho Country Brief, April 2021

In Numbers

10,795 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lesotho , including 320 deaths and 6,427 recoveries (18 May 2021)

US$ 13.2 m six months (May-October 2021) net funding requirements

208,611 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 emergency response is ongoing in Mokhotlong, Thaba-Tseka and Maseru districts, targeting rural and urban community councils using a combination of cash and commodity vouchers. Each household receives some USD 54 per month. The commodity voucher is distributed through a network of local retailers, while cash is transferred through Vodacom Mpesa mobile money platform. In April, a total of 26,755 people were assisted.

School Feeding

• Schools re-opened in April 2021 after a long closure since March 2020 due to COVID-19. Due to a funding shortfall of USD 938,440, about 15 percent of the planned school learners will not be receiving any support and of the targeted 50,000 pre-school learners, 750 pre-school learners will not be receiving any school meals. Plans are underway for WFP to further engage with the Ministry of Education and Training for the provision of technical assistance to the ministry.

Source: World Food Programme