Rédaction Africa Links 24 with ALM
Published on 2024-03-13 17:21:08
His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, launched the national operation “Ramadan 1445” on Wednesday in the Yaâcoub El Mansour district in Rabat. This initiative, organized by the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity during the holy month of Ramadan, will benefit one million households, approximately five million people.
Highly significant during this blessed month, this act of generosity has become a tradition over its 25 years of existence, illustrating the constant Royal concern for vulnerable populations and promoting the values of humanity, solidarity, mutual aid, and sharing that are characteristic of Moroccan society.
With a budget of 347 million dirhams, the “Ramadan 1445” operation will distribute 34,550 tons of food products (flour, milk, rice, oil, sugar, tomato paste, vermicelli, lentils, and tea) to provide assistance to the most vulnerable social groups, including widows, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
For this 25th edition, 82,040 beneficiary households are from the three provinces of Al Haouz, Taroudant, and Chichaoua, which were affected by the earthquake on September 8, 2023.
Over the years, the “Ramadan” operation has grown, reaching one million beneficiary households in 2023 (473,900 in 2017 and 600,000 in 2020), spread across 83 provinces and prefectures of the Kingdom, with 74% living in rural areas.
This national operation, financially supported by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, is part of the humanitarian program led by the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity. Its aim is to provide support to those in need while promoting a culture of solidarity.
To ensure the smooth running of the operation, thousands of individuals, supported by social workers and volunteers, will be mobilized at the 1,304 distribution points nationwide. They will oversee the distribution of food aid to the heads and representatives of beneficiary families.
This initiative also includes checks carried out by two committees, one at the local level and the other at the provincial level, to monitor the supply of distribution centers, identify beneficiaries, and distribute food items. Beneficiary identification is based on a ground assessment conducted by local authorities to evaluate the socio-economic conditions of the individuals.
Various organizations such as the Royal Armed Forces social services, the Royal Gendarmerie, and several ministries contribute to the success of the solidarity operation. The Ministry of Health, the National Office of Food Safety (ONSSA), and other relevant institutions ensure the quality control of the distributed food products.
During the event, His Majesty the King symbolically handed out food baskets to 10 heads or representatives of beneficiary families of the “Ramadan 1445” operation, before posing for a photo with volunteers participating in this solidarity operation.
Since its launch in 1998, the national food support operation has allocated over 2 billion dirhams to assist families, increasing from 34,100 in 1998 to one million in 2023.
The “Ramadan 1445” operation adds to the various humanitarian initiatives led by His Majesty King Mohammed VI to promote a culture of solidarity and ensure inclusive and sustainable human development.
Read the original article(French) on Aujourdhui.ma
