More than 7000 single parents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic were referred to the Fiji National Philanthropic Trust Cash Assistance Program (FiNCap) under the Save the Children Fiji.
This, according to a 2021 report from the Fiji Council of Social Services – supplement to the alternate report to the UN CRC Committee on the Rights of the Child in accordance with the fifth periodic report of state parties of the Government of Fiji.
The council collaborated with Save the Children Fiji to roll out FiNCap last year to assist families enduring the economic impacts of the pandemic.
The council managed to refer over 10,000 potential beneficiaries.
“It must be noted that FCOSS referred a total of 3029 potential beneficiaries who reported being part of a single family. Of these, 2322 are single mothers and 707 single-father families. Of the 10,765 potential beneficiaries, the report said 7719 were reported having children,” the report said.
“Of the 20,303 children identified as potential indirect beneficiaries, 5522 were those between 0 to five years old, 9721 were six to 13 years old and 5049 were those aged 14 to 18.”
The report said 8164 who sort assistance were unemployed, 750 self-employed, 1365 were employed or earning but in the formal sector and 486 were formally employed but reductions in earnings.
