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FAO in appeal for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh
Rome, May 4 (IANS/AKI) The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation has launched an appeal for $8.3 million to aid some 1.2 million vulnerable Rohingya refugees as well as host populations in Bangladesh at the onset of the cyclone and monsoon rains season, FAO said on Friday.
“FAO is extremely concerned that if we don’t invest in environmental recovery efforts now, this situation may have both short and long-lasting impacts and only worsen an already devastating human tragedy,” said Peter Agnew, the FAO emergency coordinator in Bangladesh.
The scale of the refugee crisis – nearly 900,000 refugees, more than double the local population of Cox’s Bazar – has placed significant pressure on host communities as people compete for already scarce natural resources, food, fuel and work.
“We are seeing food prices going up and daily wages going down from $6 to $2 and intense competition for firewood and food. Host community members tell us that this situation is creating great strains on their families,” said Agnew.
The increasing need to cut forest for firewood for the refugees has been depleting the environment, intensifying the risk of deadly landslides and flash floods during this year’s monsoon season, FAO warned.
“There is just not enough work and resources for everyone. We need to create opportunities for people to rebuild their livelihoods and ease growing social tensions, or we might soon be faced with an additional crisis within the crisis,” added Agnew.
The $8.3 million FAO is seeking will help protect and restore the livelihoods of populations at risk, build their resilience, ease social tensions and longer-term measures to aid environmental recovery and agricultural production efforts, the UN agency stated.
To date FAO has only received $1.5 million out of the total $9.8 million that it urgently requires this year, the agency underlined.
The funds will enable FAO to set up nurseries and rehabilitate degraded forest areas to curtail further environmental degradation and restore the natural resource base; provide jobs for host communities in environmental rehabilitation activities; training, seeds and tools to keep helping host communities increase their food output and to improve nutrition.
FAO is working with its partner the UN migration agency the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to better conditions for both refugees and host communities.
As host communities boost their food production, this will not only cover their own food needs but provide them with an extra income as surplus production can be purchased for distribution to the refugees, FAO said.
To help local communities cope better during the cyclone season and monsoon rains, FAO has been distributing food safety kits, which include 60-litre, water-proof storage containers where people can safely store their food stocks, seeds and valuable items, such as personal documents.
The kits also include tools, seeds and fertilizer so that family can grow vegetables and eat highly nutritious food, FAO noted.
–IANS/AKI
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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