COVID-19: Digital solidarity vouchers to needy Tunisians

Tunisian NGO “Banque alimentaire durable” has launched a new initiative to assist needy families in Tunis as the containment decreed on 22 March to fight the spread of the coronavirus in Tunisia has affected thousands of households, which lost their source of income.

The NGO selected 300 families living in the poor neighborhoods of Tunis and sent them via cell phones an SMS code for vouchers enabling them to purchase €20 to €30 worth of commodities a week at nearby grocery stores.

The NGO, which launched the initiative at the beginning of Ramadan, hopes to extend the initiative to marginalized inland regions.

In addition to this aid, the NGO wants to encourage needy families to become more self-sufficient, for example by teaching them how to grow vegetables in their backyards, or by selling home-made bread.

To alleviate the impact of the lockdown that affected an estimated two million of the 11.5 million population, and in a bid to defuse social discontent, the government has extended thousands of households exceptional aid of 200 dinars (80 euros).

Lockdown measures began to be relaxed on 4 May, with Tunisia officially registering around 1,032 cases, including 45 deaths.