Switzerland donates powdered milk for people in need in Cuba

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) delivered this Thursday in Havana adonation of powdered milk intended for "vulnerable groups"from the eastern provinces of the country and Old Havana.

“More than 20 thousand beneficiaries will be assisted for approximately eight months,” stated theCuban News Agency, which did not account for the exact amount of donated milk.

The aforementioned official media stated that "the objective is to reach the most vulnerable older adults in the context of COVID-19, contributing to the prevention of nutritional deficiencies linked to the aging process."

In Old Havana, 1,323 people will benefit who are part of social programs through programs of the Office of the Historian and that include vulnerable groups, including children under five years of age, primary school students, pregnant women assisted in maternal homes, and adults. over 65 years old.

This Thursday's ceremony took place at the Belén Convent and was attended by authorities from the ministries of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, and Domestic Trade, the Office of the City Historian, the Swiss embassy on the Island, as well as representatives of the World Food Program (WFP) in Cuba.

In June, 125 tons of powdered milk arrived through the port of Santiago de Cuba, also thanks to the contribution of the SDC, destined for the centers of the Family Care System (SAF) of the 54 municipalities of the five eastern provinces of the country.

Since 2002, Switzerland has donated some seven million dollars to the Cuba World Food Program.

More than 90 percent of that amount of money would have gone to development activities, specifically the purchase of foods such as powdered milk, grains, cookies and oil, among others.

In February 2016Switzerland delivered another donation of 150 tons of milk powder, also intended for social programs that serve children, the elderly and pregnant women.

Milk, in high demand and tremendously scarce in Cuba, is one of the unfulfilled promises of Castroism.

In recent months, there has been a serious shortage of this basic food, which generated immense discomfort among Cuban mothers whoThey even promoted the hashtag #LecheParaLosNiñosCubanos on social networks. to demand that the Cuban government stabilize the distribution of this essential product in the diet of minors.

The donation of milk made by Switzerland this Thursday joins other actions carried out by the WFP as part of the United Nations Plan to respond to the economic and food crisis that Cuba is going through, especially exacerbated after the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Last week, Russia delivered a donation to the Cuban government, also through the World Food Program (WFP),672 tons of vegetable oil destined for free distribution.