This photo taken on June 29, 2024 shows a dry stream in Mababe village, Botswana. The European Union (EU) in Botswana has provided around 150,000 euros (162,027 U.S. dollars) in humanitarian aid to vulnerable families affected by the El Nino drought. (Photo by Tshekiso Tebalo/Xinhua)
GABORONE, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) in Botswana has provided around 150,000 euros (162,027 U.S. dollars) in humanitarian aid to vulnerable families affected by the El Nino drought.
The funding will support the Botswana Red Cross Society, an international organization that aids people in emergencies and hunger.
It will deliver assistance to over 5,000 people in villages in the western and northeastern Botswana facing challenges in food security, water sanitation, hygiene, and disruptions to their livelihoods, according to a statement released by the EU in Botswana Thursday.
Furthermore, part of the funds will be used to teach smallholder farmers community-based sustainable farming practices in order to alleviate the effects of future droughts and other climate change-related risks.
The Botswana Red Cross Society will also use the EU funds to purchase and distribute soap, install water tanks, and repair water sources in the targeted districts for human and cattle consumption, as well as crops.
Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi declared the 2023-2024 season an "extreme agricultural drought year" in June due to the recent dry spells and minimal rainfall. As a result, Botswana has considerable chronic food insecurity, with more than 10 percent of the population suffering from food and nutrition issues. ■
Children are pictured in a yard in Sankoyo village, Botswana, June 29, 2024. The European Union (EU) in Botswana has provided around 150,000 euros (162,027 U.S. dollars) in humanitarian aid to vulnerable families affected by the El Nino drought. (Photo by Tshekiso Tebalo/Xinhua)