Cash for Assets Changes Lives in Lesotho

In the last three months of 2013, Annah participated in a Cash for Assets project in her village of Ha Ramohapi in the district of Mafeteng.  This region is experiencing high rates of environmental challenges due to soil erosion and climate change. As a result, there are many vulnerable families who have lost vegetable fields and risk not having enough food to feed their families. 

In response to this situation, WFP, along with the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO) and the UK Government through the Department for International Development (DFID) implemented the Cash for Assets programme in vulnerable districts of Lesotho, including Mafeteng. The goal of Cash for Assets is to secure the immediate needs of the most vulnerable people while simultaneously taking steps to reduce erosion and land degradation. 

Annah is one of more than 150,000 people who benefitted from the Cash for Assets project in 2013. "I worked in a team to plant trees and build rock walls that move heavy flowing rain water away from our fields - now our fields are protected and we can continue to plant food," Annah told WFP during a recent visit to her village. "The project has helped me a lot."