UK Contribution Helps Maintain Assistance to Refugees

Thanks to a £1 million contribution from Britain's Department for International Development (DFID), the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has managed, in the short term, to avoid cutting rations destined for refugees in Tanzania. WFP was about to reduce rations in October for nearly a quarter of a million refugees, given lack of funds for its refugee operations in Tanzania. Now – and for the time being at least – these operations can continue as normal.

Every day, hundreds of Burundian refugees are arriving at the Tanzanian border, amid continued unrest in their homeland. WFP distributes life-saving food to over 240,000 refugees living in three camps in Kigoma Region in north-west Tanzania. Refugees are dependent on this assistance, which includes maize meal, pulses, vegetable oil, salt and a nutrient-rich porridge blend.

WFP also provides hot meals at transit and reception centres and camp healthcare facilities. In the refugee camps, WFP assists pregnant and nursing women, as well as moderately malnourished children under the age of five, with micronutrient powders or a fortified porridge blend.

WFP is experiencing a critical shortfall in funding. Unless more contributions are forthcoming, the food and nutrition security of refugees could be severely compromised. Additional funding is required to maintain refugee operations until the end of the year.