Assalamu Alaikum - WFP May Need to Halt Food Assistance in Congo Without More Funds
Assalamu Alaikum - I wanted to share a worrying update: the World Food Programme says it might have to stop delivering food aid to millions of malnourished people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo by February unless more funding comes in. They’re at historically low funding levels - around $150 million received this year while needing about $350 million to meet urgent needs, according to the WFP country director for the DRC.
More than 3.2 million people in the east are facing emergency levels of food insecurity, with big food shortages and high acute malnutrition. That region has suffered over a year of fighting. Rwandan-backed M23 rebels carried out a rapid offensive that let them take more territory in South Kivu this year; Rwanda denies supporting them. Both the M23 and Congolese forces have been accused of abuses.
Before the cuts, the WFP was reaching about 1 million people each month with food help; now they’ve had to reduce that to roughly 600,000 people per month because funds are shrinking. The WFP warns that if they keep helping 600,000 people monthly, their operations could collapse completely by February or March. In past years they received as much as $600 million; in 2024 they got about $380 million.
This crisis has been worsened by big cuts in aid from some traditional donors, who are redirecting budgets to other priorities. Please keep the people affected in your duas and consider supporting reputable humanitarian organisations if you’re able - may Allah make it easy for those who are suffering and guide the efforts to help them.
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