Source: http://reliefweb.int/node/442599
Britain has been engaged in providing help through UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP) to the drought hit regions in response to the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa. At the moment it is helping over 200,000 people in Kenya. Most of the help from UK is targeted towards children – preventing malnutrition, providing supplementary feeding to those severely & moderately malnourished, feeding children under 5 as well as pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.
Children suffering from severe malnutrition are treated with therapeutic food such as plumy nut, which has a high energy content and adequate amount of vitamins and minerals. But investing in prevention is crucial.
By treating children with moderate malnutrition, WFP tries to prevent them from slipping into severe malnutrition. In many emergency settings, for every child suffering from severe acute malnutrition, there are eight or ten suffering from moderate malnutrition.
British aid means that over the next five months WFP can provide 115,400 malnourished under-threes and breast-feeding women with a food ration of Corn-Soya Blend and vegetable oil. The ingredients make up a protein-rich fortified porridge that provides children with the essential nutrients that they need. In addition, 92,300 moderately and acutely malnourished children under the age of five will be given foods that will specifically meet their own unique needs.
Malnourished children are not just at risk due to a lack of food and water – they are also extremely susceptible to killer diseases, including measles, malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia. That is why UK aid is also being used to provide Vitamin A supplements and vital immunisations alongside the food distribution.
UK aid will continue to be focused on providing support to children as one child to die from hunger is one child too many.
Across Kenya 3.2 million people are food insecure, thousands of livestock have died, crops have been lost and rains have failed in many parts of the country. All this against a backdrop of escalating food and oil prices. Such is the extent of the disaster that it is expected to continue beyond the start of the short rains season in October.
Facts and stats of UK Help
UK aid has provided £5 million to WFP Kenya to provide this essential support across six districts: Turkana, Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit, Samburu and Isiolo. The six districts will be reviewed after 2011 Short Rains expected in October and November 2011.
UK aid has provided £3.2 million to UNICEF, working in 13 districts: Turkana, West Pokot, Samburu, BAringo, Laikipia, Isiolo, Marsabit, Moyale, Tana River, Garissa, Mandera, Wajir and Ijara.
Britain is providing lifesaving aid for over two million people across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia in response to the crisis in the Horn of Africa.
