Food crisis for refugees averted - WFP

The UN's World Food Programme says a food crisis in Kenya's refugee camps has been averted "thanks to the donor community’s generous and timely response". In a statement on Saturday, it said contributions from the US, Japan, Germany, Finland, Denmark and Italy had allowed WFP to restore the levels of food aid being distributed to the refugees. Food rations had been reduced due to a lack of funds during the first half of 2003. In March, at the peak of the crisis, stocks to feed 220,000 refugees in the Kakuma and Dadaab camps were so low that WFP was forced to cut food rations to levels below the nutritional standard. "For many refugee families – the majority of whom come from Sudan and Somalia – WFP food is the only asset they have access to," the statement said. "By law, refugees are not allowed to leave the camp and engage in any income-generating activity. Hence, the almost total dependency of refugees on WFP food aid."