The World Bank and Community Family Services International (CFSI) have sealed a grant agreement, reaffirming their dedication to bolster sustainable livelihoods and foster resilient, inclusive communities for former combatants of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and their families.
Under this agreement, approximately 39,200 individuals living in six rural communities within the Bangsamoro region will receive economic assistance.
The initiative, valued at $4 million, is a community-driven project financed through the Bangsamoro Normalization Trust Fund.
The fund, overseen by the World Bank, facilitates aid from development partners to support the demobilization of Moro Islamic Liberation Front combatants in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Ndiamé Diop, the World Bank country director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand, regarded the approval of this inaugural project financed through the trust fund as a significant milestone in delivering essential services to the camp communities within the normalization process.
The long-term objective of the initiative is to enhance income stability and food security for households in these communities by improving basic infrastructure, diversifying livelihood opportunities, and implementing climate-smart agriculture practices, Diop emphasized.
