At  the signing ceremon held in in Khammuan on Dec 14

(KPL) A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to support efforts to mitigate the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 project was signed by the Khammuan Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office (PAFO), the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) and Humana People to People Laos (HPP) in Khammuan on Dec 14.

The project was supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The MOU was signed by Deputy Director of Khammuan Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office Phaysy Dalasy, and HPP Country Director Gitte Hector.

Over 20 representatives from the government’s line agencies in Khammuan, HPP, and ADB attended the ceremony.

COVID-19 forced many workplaces in countries neighbouring the Lao PDR to suspend operations in mid-2020. As a result, more than 200,000 Lao migrant workers had to return home. Although many have returned to their workplaces in neighbouring countries, some who remain in the Lao PDR lack jobs and the means to support their families.

ADB-supported Mitigating the Impacts of COVID-19 through Community-led Interventions is helping migrant workers, particularly women and unemployed workers, strengthen their capacity to farm by boosting agriculture and livestock production for sustainable food security, nutrition, and income generation.

The project also supports government efforts to prevent Covid-19 by enhancing migrant workers’ knowledge and capacity to protect themselves from the disease and its transmission and provides income-generating opportunities through community-based development planning and awareness raising programmes.

These include the establishment of handwashing points within communities and the provision of community-based production workplaces, training, and equipment to produce washable face masks and soaps from local organic materials.

About 1,375 people, including 172 unemployed migrant workers, in five villages in the Khounkham and Thakek districts of Khammuan Province will benefit from the ADB-supported project.

It will provide US$430,000 in technical assistance support and be implemented by HPP and its consortium partners, Community Heath and Inclusion Association and the Informal Worker Advancement Association in partnership with Khammuan PAFO.

ADB’s technical assistance under the project is supported by the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific, the Korea e-Asia Knowledge Partnership Fund, and the People’s Republic of China Poverty Reduction and Regional Cooperation Fund.

KPL