A new United Nations report reveals that low funding is harming efforts to feed war victims in the Central African Republic. Only 38 percent of funding has been obtained for feeding at least 1.25 million people. This as famine conditions rapidly develop in the impoverished country.
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) says, "Children here already face enormous challenges – now, they’re staring death in the face." For 2014 an estimated US $180 million dollars is needed by the UN and partner agencies for hunger relief.
WFP, the largest hunger relief organization, has only 62 percent of its required funding. So far in April WFP and partners have fed 109,500 people, as well as distributing seeds for planting crops. More resources are urgently needed to expand these efforts. WFP relies entirely on voluntary funding from governments and the public.
Violence continues as armed groups continue to battle each other. Civilians have been killed in these clashes and thousands have been displaced. With this chaos comes hunger and malnutrition. Those conditions can claim the lives of children very quickly.
The UN report also states that, "An estimated 159,000 children under age 5 need highly nutritious food. A consistent and adequately funded pipeline is needed to prevent a deterioration of nutritional status during the rainy season." There is also the fear of flooding in the refugee camps during the rainy season.
WFP, UNICEF and other partners need funding to help the suffering civilians.
WFP has set up a donation page for the Central African Republic.