The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has transferred nearly $600 million to Ukraine's state budget to help finance social assistance for vulnerable groups, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko announced.
According to Sviridenko, the funding totals almost $600 million and forms part of the broader SPIRIT social protection project, which has a total value of $880 million, Caliber.Az reports.
The financing package includes $300 million backed by guarantees from Japan and $298.75 million supported by bilateral guarantees from the United Kingdom.
"The total volume of the SPIRIT project is $880 million," Sviridenko said.
The Ukrainian government said the project is expected to benefit more than one million people in need of social assistance.
According to the government, the funding will support 18 categories of social benefits, including payments for families with children, children with serious illnesses, orphans living in family-type children's homes and foster families, people with disabilities and large families.
The programme will also finance the "municipal nanny" childcare service, a home assistance initiative for families whose parents return to work after a child reaches one year of age, and other state-funded social support programmes.
Ukrainian authorities said the funding is intended exclusively for civilian social protection measures and is not linked to military spending.
By Sabina Mammadli
Source: caliber.az
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