Food Assistance for Malian Refugees - World Food Programme 2014

March 2014 - Unrest and conflict in the north of Mali have displaced 472 000 people including 171 000 who have fled to neighbouring countries to escape the violence. Fighting banditry and landmine contamination restrict the access for relief agencies to only some areas where basic services such as medical care and water and sanitation services are gradually resuming. Refugees internally displaced persons and host communities are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance including protection shelter food nutrition and livelihoods assistance as well as access to clean water health and sanitation services. With the support of DFATD and other donors the World Food Programme is providing food assistance to approximately 184 000 Malian refugees and vulnerable people from host communities in Burkina Faso Mauritania and Niger. Project activities include: (1) distributing food cash and vouchers to exchange for food; (2) providing supplementary feeding to prevent acute malnutrition among children under 2 years of age; (3) providing supplementary feeding to treat moderate acute malnutrition among children under 5 years of age and pregnant and breastfeeding women; and (4) supporting emergency school feeding programs.

The expected immediate outcomes for this project include: (1) increased access to food assistance for refugees and host-communities; (2) increased access to micronutrient supplements for vulnerable groups including children and pregnant and breastfeeding women; and (3) increased enrolment and school attendance. The expected intermediate outcome is the reduced vulnerability of crisis-affected people especially women and children.