Seventy-seven single mothers, one from each of the 77 provinces across the country, who have been struggling to make ends meet in the wake of the spread of Covid-19 have been selected to receive cooking equipment and other kitchenware so they can set up small catering businesses to earn extra income.
Chuti Krairiksh, Minister of Social Development and Human Security, said on Monday the project is being co-hosted by his ministry and the Tesco Lotus supermarket chain. As well as cooking equipment and other kitchen utensils worth 2.3 million baht, each single mum will receive 10,000 baht to start their own food businesses.
Under the project, Mr Chuti said the ministry's Department of Women's Affairs and Family Development will be provide cooking courses using Zoom due to the Covid-19 situation.
The launch ceremony of the project was held on Monday at the ministry.
Panya Chuaikit, 47, who lives with son on Soi Lat Phrao 101 in Bang Kapi after after separating from her partner, said she normally cooked rice and curry to sell on the street but that income has dried up recently.
However, she said her community had set up a cooperative to provide financial assistance to those worst affected by the current economic downturn.
Ms Panya said she has had put money into the cooperative every month and was now grateful to have its hardship payments to fall back on during this difficult period.
She said she was delighted to have been selected for the new project as it would give her a chance to get her career back on track with a new food business more suited to the current situation.
Suttiwan Jewjaitham, 34, an employee of a tambon administrative organisation in Nakhon Pathom, who was divorced seven years ago, said she cares alone for a child with cerebral and muscular illnesses and the cooking equipment and utensils will be help her earn a living selling smoothies and bakery goods.
Tesco Lotus corporate affairs director, Salinla Seehapan, said the company had selected 77 of the most deserving single mums in the country because, as both breadwinners and primary carers, they have been hit particularly hard by effects of the coronavirus.