Two local NGOs, Family Legal Clinic (FLC) and Advocating the Rights of Children (ARC) announced on Thursday the joint initiative 'Child Aid Relief in Emergency Situations' (CARES) to support and aid families with children during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
In a press release, CARES stated that one of its main aims is to relieve hunger for families with children that are referred by the Maldivian government, on request of the Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services.
At present, CARES' aid relief consists of:
- Meal support, providing daily meals to families
- Basic food support, providing food supplies to families
The food supplies include eggs, flour, lentils, milk powder, rice, tuna cans, and assorted cans of vegetables.
CARES provided food relief to total eight families during the first week of lockdown in the capital, including 20 children and 17 adults, of which six are single mothers.
Initially, daily meal support was provided to five of these families, counting 12 children and 12 adults, while food supplies were provided to all eight, ahead of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan which commences this Friday.
Although the aid currently being disseminated mainly addresses food requirements, in the near future, CARES aims to broaden its aid to include social needs as well as establish a public fund to extend its resources.
The movement was established by FLC, the first Maldivian NGO providing pro bono legal services in the areas of family and prevention of domestic violence, and ARC, which works to protect and promote the rights of children in Maldives.
CARES is supported by its main partners Bank of Maldives, BHM Traders, Dhiraagu, Ensis Fisheries Pvt Ltd, Mihaaru, The Edition, Ooredoo Maldives, UNICEF and audited by Prudent Chartered LLP.
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