Empowering the Food Insecure: WFP's Food Cards Unlock Access to Nutritious Meals

Rima Asoyan was one of the many families affected by the armed escalation between Armenia and Azerbaijan in September 2022. Forced to flee her home with her three children, Rima and her family found refuge with her parents-in-law in a small house with very poor conditions. The challenges of meeting basic needs such as food were difficult, but thankfully, the World Food Programme (WFP) and its partners provided support to help Rima and other food-insecure families cover their food needs for two months.

For Rima, receiving a food card from WFP not only provided her family with food but also helped them make the right choice when choosing nutritious products.

"The food card has made a huge difference for my family," says Rima. "Thanks to it, my youngest son can enjoy breakfast before school, and we can afford to buy meat. We are grateful for the support and kindness that has helped us during the tough wintertime."

The food card project provided Rima and her family with access to financial resources that allowed them to make informed decisions about their food choices. Moreover, the assistance from WFP gave Rima a feeling of optimism during a challenging period.

Rima expresses her appreciation by saying, "This assistance gave me hope for the future. It provided some stability and allowed me to focus on finding a job. Now my dream is to have a job that can help me meet the needs of my three children.”, – adds Rima.

WFP is committed to supporting families like Rima during times of crisis and instability. Through initiatives like the food card project, WFP aims to ensure that families have dignified opportunities and access financial resources to ensure food needs are addressed for the entire family. The food card project not only addresses immediate food needs but also empowers families to make informed decisions about their food choices, improving their overall health and wellbeing.

The activities are implemented within the framework of REBCA project (Resilience and Economic Recovery of Border Communities in Armenia) funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by the UN World Food Programme (UN WFP) in partnership with the World Vision Armenia (WVA), Child Development Foundation (CDF) and Strategic Development Agency (SDA). The REBCA project aims to improve the crisis resilience in the border settlements of Vardenis (Gegharkunik), Sisian (Syunik), and Jermuk (Vayots Dzor) communities by providing humanitarian and economic support.