At a CRS food distribution in Marojela village, Marolinta commune, Beloha District in southern Madagascar, CRS staff use a tablet as part of the intake process for registering people to receive the food -- an example of CRS' use of ICT4D. The process involves taking the person's photo and having them sign the tablet with their finger. On this day 416 people from six villages received food.

Over the past five years, the southern region of Madagascar has been affected by recurring droughts. Communities can’t rely on agriculture because of insufficient and unreliable rains. During the lean period from October to March villagers rely on eating cactus fruits or leaves, which is one of the few plants that grows abundantly in the region. To help the Antandroy people (an ethnic group in southern Madagasdar) cope with the food crisis, CRS distributes food to the most vulnerable households through the HAVELO Project. Every month for six months, participants receive a corn soy blend (CSB+), yellow split peas, sorghum and vegetable oil thanks to funding from USAID Food for Peace.

Photo by Jim Stipe/Catholic Relief Services