Throughout December and January, more than 600 families of the Jalriz district in the province of Maidan Wardak received food packages funded by the Italian Government and distributed by UNOPS.

With an average of seven members per family, over 4,000 people directly benefitted from the recent distribution of food packages to vulnerable families in the Jalriz district.

Each family received a food package containing 100kg wheat flour, 50kg rice, and 18 liters of cooking oil. The families come from the seven villages of Zawalat, Jalriz, Sangalakh, Takana, Sayakhak, Salmanfars and Kotiashro.

The food distribution is part of the community development efforts of the Italian Government and UNOPS in connection with the rehabilitation of the highway from Maidan Shar to Bamyan.

The food distribution is implemented directly by the District Development Assembly. The primary focus is to ensure the poorest and most vulnerable households in the district receive the much needed food assistance, while at the same time promoting the role of the District Development Assembly in providing social services through a transparent and participatory process.

The Ministry of Public Works is presently rehabilitating 136 km of highway under this project with Italian funding. Rehabilitation of the stretch from Maidan Shar to Onai Pass is halfway completed. The tender process for the rehabilitation of the stretch from Onai Pass to Bamyan city is under process. Additional small scale community works are also planned for the next months.

(Source: "Afghanistan: More than 600 vulnerable families in Maidan Wardak district receive food aid", Relief web, 08 February 201)