12.08.10 WFP DELIVERS FOOD TO THOUSANDS OF DISPLACED IN CONFLICT-TORN EAST
from a newly completed food security assessment, WFP will provide an initial
two months of general food distributions to more than 80,000 internally
displaced people (IDPs) in the Beni territory of North Kivu province. The distributions will take place along the
Oicha-Eringeti road axis in
where the vast majority of the IDPs are located.
“Emergency food
assistance is critical to meet the immediate food needs of these displaced
people since they have no access to their stocks from home,” said WFP Deputy
Country Director Kojo Anyanful.
WFP today began
distributing the first food rations of maize meal, beans, salt, and oil in
Mavivi and Mbau villages. The overall food basket amounts to 555 grammes of mixed
commodities, providing beneficiaries with a daily nutritional value of 2100
kilocalories per person.
Where security
allows, WFP will also expand its school meals and nutrition programmes to cover
the needs of the most vulnerable groups throughout
territory, including malnourished children and pregnant and lactating mothers.
In addition to
those displaced in Beni, WFP general food distributions this year target
another 150,000 IDPs in
240,000 returnees. Roughly 140,000 school children receive assistance through
WFP’s School Meals Programme. WFP also
provides support to 150 nutritional centers to which malnourished children,
pregnant and lactating mothers and HIV/AIDS-infected people are referred. Demobilized child soldiers and victims of
sexual violence receive WFP food assistance as well.
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