(Ecofin Agency) - The Board of the World Bank approved, on March 10, two grants totaling $52 million to help Mauritania improve social security. $45 million will come from the International Development Association (IDA) while the remaining $7 million will be provided by the Sahel Adaptive Social Protection Program (ASPP), backed by the German government.

The resources will support the Mauritanian government’s efforts as part of the Shock-responsive safety Net Program (called Elmaouna) and the national social transfer program (Tekavoul). More than 290,000 people living in extreme poverty are targeted with the Tekavoul scheme while more than 24,000 households will benefit from emergency money transfer to face shocks.

“In the short term, families will be able to use the money for their immediate needs, usually to buy food and use basic services. In the long term, they will be able to save some money to invest in their livelihoods and well-being,” said Matthieu Lefebvre, project manager at the World Bank.

André Chadrak