Needy Tunisians get food aid via text messages

Scheme targets families who have lost jobs because of Tunisia's coronavirus lockdown

An elderly man wearing a face mask due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic walks with a crutch at the central market in the Tunisian capital Tunis. AFP

A Tunisian organisation has set up a food bank that dispenses aid by text message to some 300 families left vulnerable by the coronavirus pandemic.

The initiative was launched at the end of April to coincide with the start of the holy month of Ramadan.

It targets families who have lost jobs because of the lockdown imposed by Tunisia to contain the spread of the virus.

"Because of Ramadan and the lockdown I can no longer go out to work," said 49-year-old Messaouda Raouafi, a cleaner. "I cannot clean homes and earn money to feed my seven children."

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Her family was among the 300 chosen by the women's affairs ministry and referred to the organisation known as the Banque Alimentaire Durable or "sustainable food bank".

Under the initiative, Ms Raouafi receives a code by text that allows her to spend 40 to 60 Tunisian dinars (around Dh40 to Dh76) weekly at designated grocery stores.

With that, she has been able to buy basic goods such as oil, milk, coffee and flour.

Farah, who runs a grocery store in the working-class district of Kram in Tunis governate, signed up to take part in the project.

"The money is sent to us ahead of time – that way the clients can buy what they want with the funds allocated to them," she said.

Farah said this worked much better than allowing customers to buy on credit, a system that took a toll on her finances.

Women wearing face masks due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic sit in a carriage of the Tunis metro in the centre of the capital Tunis on May 4, 2020 AFP

"In our area there are many poor families and unemployed people," she said, explaining why she decided to embrace the initiative.

A member of the organisation, Aisha Zakraoui, said she hoped the initiative would grow and reach more needy families across Tunisia.

It also aimed to help families become more self-sufficient through training in skills such as growing their own vegetables or baking bread to sell.

"Our objective is to provide food aid to needy people and in exchange they agree to take part in initiatives aimed at integrating them socially and professionally," Ms Zakraoui said.

Even before the virus outbreak, Tunisia struggled with economic and social hardship that has worsened since the country went into lockdown in March to battle the pandemic.

The government estimated that two million of Tunisia's 11.5 million population were in need of financial assistance during that time.

In March and April, the government made emergency handouts of 200 dinars to vulnerable families.

Tunisia, which has officially declared 1,032 cases of the novel coronavirus including 45 deaths, began easing its lockdown on May 4.

In the early days of the containment measures, several hundred Tunisians had demonstrated in working class districts of Tunis, the capital, to demand government support and against the lockdown.