Care food vouchers provide relief to El Niño-affected communities in EHP

Food vouchers introduced during the fuel crisis are now providing timely assistance to communities in Eastern Highlands Province as El Niño condition affects food gardens and water sources.

Care International, with funding from the Australian Humanitarian Partnership, introduced the initiative to help communities access essential goods and services during the fuel crisis.

Families are turning out in large numbers at Papindo and Kingwee supermarkets in Goroka to redeem K220 food vouchers.

Nancy Apio, a mother of five from Lapegu, one of the recipient communities, highlights the importance of the assistance as the prolonged dry season affects food gardens and water sources.

 “The prolonged dry season has caused our bananas and cassava in the gardens to dry out, while rivers and creeks are drying up,” Nancy explains.

She adds that the food voucher assistance will help sustain her family for now until rainfall returns.

Care International Humanitarian Program Manager Emily Meren told NBC News that the initiative was not originally designed as an El Niño response but has come at a crucial time for affected communities.

“This response was not designed for El Niño. It was introduced during the fuel crisis, but fortunately, it came at the right time, as we moved from the fuel crisis straight into El Nino,” Meren said.

She adds that the vouchers indirectly support communities affected by helping them access essential food and water supply.

According to Meren, the selected communities are existing Care partners whose needs were verified through assessments and consultations with community leaders and the provincial government’s disaster committee.

She emphasises that Care keeps the government informed of its work and takes concerns and feedback seriously to ensure the programme is well received.

“Care ensures the government is kept informed of our work. We take any concerns seriously and incorporate their feedback to ensure our programmes are well received by both the communities and the government,” Meren said.

A total of 16 communities across Goroka, Ungai-Bena and Kainantu districts are receiving the K220 food vouchers, redeemable at their nearest Papindo and Kingwee supermarkets.