A 2 week food distribution plan coordinated by the United Nations World Food Programme, international aid agencies and the Haitian government, began on Sunday in 9 of 16 designated points in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Only 9 of the 16 places handed out food due to more time needed to prepare ration coupons and security reasons in slum areas with a lot of gang violence.
Only women were given tickets to collect a 55 pound bag of rice per family and 42 metric tons of rice will be distributed each day over the next two weeks. A spokesperson said that only women are being given the food because they tend to be in charge of their household food supplies and are more likely to redistribute it more eqaully among households than men. The spokesperson added that most men have someone: a wife, a sister, a mother or girlfriend, who will be able to feed them and that it was safer to deliver the rice to the women. Understandably, this did not sit well with some men.
The food aid plan involves at least eight private humanitarian agencies: Samaritan's Purse, Catholic Relief Services, CARE, World Vision, ACTED, Save The Children, GOAL and ADRA.
The 2 week food plan aims to reach 2 million people in Port-au-Prince but does not expand to those living in other quake-devastated cities, but ongoing emergency aid distributions to outlying areas will continue.
At least this is a start but, what about other necessities that the Haitians need? The article didn't go into it, but can all those people even find ways to cook the rice that they are being given?
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2 comments:
On the news last week was a discussion about how medical need is what is being most addressed in Haiti, and while food is a major concern, it is not being addressed as head-on as medical need is-so I am glad to see that a big plan is in motion. However, I dont like that only women are being given ration tickets. Whether or not they are the ones who usually handle the food, people are dehydrated and malnourished and this is not a time to be picky, especially when many families are now without mothers
Sally Shearer 5
Yes i agree with Sally. It is very important that more food is being distributed. Of course the people of Haiti need medical care, but food is very important as well. The stores and food sources are shut down and as we all know people can only go without food and water for so long. Im glad there is a big plan in motion to address this problem.
I don't think it is fair that only the women can go collect food. Not all women are good with handling food and all men aren' bad are handling it either. This is sexist and I would be upset too.
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