Food for the Hungry awarded $143M USAID grant to improve food security in poverty stricken Amhara Region

 The international humanitarian organization, Food for the Hungry (FH), has been awarded a $143M grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Affairs to implement their Poverty Reduced Sustainably in an Environment of Resilient and Vibrant Economy (PReSERVE) project in the Amhara Region, in northern Ethiopia. Through PReSERVE, FH will support 271,231 direct activity participants in nine districts within Wag Himra, South Gondar, and Central Gondar zones.

The Amhara Region suffers from deep food insecurity, caused mainly by a lack of sufficient food of sufficient nutritional value. The area has notably low production of nutrient-dense food, due to erratic rainfall, land degradation, and poor agricultural practices. The FH PReSERVE program will support the production of nutrient-rich and animal source foods, and provide sustainable access to adequate clean water and sanitation. To support poverty reduction goals, PReSERVE will conduct major interventions such as providing access to savings and credit capabilities, functional literacy and life skills training, supporting formal and informal employment opportunities for youth. Lastly, the program will strengthen the early warning system in Amhara Region, to enable stronger community preparedness and resilience in response to disasters and other factors that cause fragility.

“This $143M USAID grant enables our organization to support hundreds of thousands of people in dire need in the Amhara Region”, said Maria McCulley, Chief Public Development Officer at Food for the Hungry. “With the PReSERVE program, our team aims not only to provide access to critical resources but ultimately create the tools and skills necessary to bring vulnerable communities out of poverty”.

The PReSERVE project is a continuation of FH’s previous work in seven of the nine woredas, where the organization has used evidence-based interventions to support the graduation of ultra-poor households from poverty. Upcoming work will have a special focus on women, youth, and people with disabilities. PReSERVE will be participant-driven, empowering locally hired staff to define agendas, identify livelihood options, and respond to the areas of greatest need. Grant activities began in September 2021 and will continue for the next five years.