WFP has welcomed a generous contribution of US$2 million from the Russian Federation to WFP’s emergency operation in Kenya, praising the first donation from the Russian Federation to WFP’s work in East Africa.

“WFP is extremely grateful for the contribution. It is especially heartening to see a new donor step forward,” said Marian Read, WFP Deputy Country Director in Kenya. “We hope this is the start of a strong relationship with the Russian Federation. The poorest people in Africa very much need all our help.”

Livestock lost

The donation may be used to purchase food in Kenya or regionally for WFP’s Emergency Operation, which is feeding nearly 3 million people hit by successive years of drought.

Despite long rains earlier this year and the current short rains, many pastoralists have lost all their livestock – their only asset – and need food aid until they can support themselves again.

Those people being assisted by WFP include 550,000 children in the worst drought-affected areas who receive a daily meal at school. This is in addition to 1.1 million children in Kenya who receive WFP food at school as part of WFP’s school feeding programme since 1980.

Climate change

“With climate change now bringing deeper droughts more frequently to East Africa, feeding these children so they get an education is an invaluable investment in the future,” said Read.

The United Nations in Nairobi is hosting a global conference on climate change from 6-18 November.

The Russian Federation has contributed to WFP since 2003. Before this donation, the Russian Federation had supported WFP operations in Angola, Tajikistan, Sudan, Cuba, Armenia, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Korea.

Isaiah Ofuyo
WFP/Nairobi
Tel. +254 20 7622 301
Mob. +254 735 338 050
isaiah.ofuyo@wfp.org

Peter Smerdon
WFP/Nairobi
Tel. +254 20 7622 179
Mob. +254 733 528 911
peter.smerdon@wfp.org