EENHANA - In its praiseworthy efforts to ensure no Namibian goes to bed hungry or dies from hunger, the Ministry of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare launched the food bank at Eenhana on Monday.

Although the beneficiaries of the just launched food bank are yet to be determined, the programme is set to benefit people who are struggling to put food on the table within Eenhana town.
The launch was followed by a training of the street committee to ensure a successful implementation of the programme at the town.

Speaking at the launch, the Deputy Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare Aino Kapewangolo said the food bank is one of government programmes aimed at addressing hunger and poverty in the urban and peri-urban areas.
The first food bank in the country was launched in June 2016 by the head of state in Windhoek and has since then distributed dry food items in seven constituencies in Khomas Region as part of the pilot phase.

To date, 67,987 beneficiaries from 15,519 households have benefited from the acclaimed food bank in Khomas as part of the social pillars in the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP).

Describing the impact of the food bank, Kapewangolo said the programme has been effective for the beneficiaries who have no formal employment especially with the prevailing economic crisis.

About 90 percent of the beneficiaries were food insecure before the food bank intervention.
“After the introduction of the food bank, 62 percent of those that were food insecure, are now food secure,” the deputy minister said.

On a different note, the deputy minister urged the nation to join efforts and hands with the government in rooting out abject poverty, saying that fighting poverty promotes human rights, human dignity and social justice and ensures the nation has access to food, shelter, clothing and other social basic services.