Donation eases the burden

As the displaced people - men, women and children - lined up for their monthly rations at the Kenya-based Kakuma Refugee Camp's distribution point, they could not hide their joy. All this valuable assistance had been made possible by the Chinese government, and the sacks bearing the words "China Aid" said it all.

The Chinese government donated $5 million to the United Nations World Food Programme in May, which was used to buy 9,000 metric tons of cereal, the main staple food.

According to Annalisa Conte, WFP country director and representative for Kenya, the donation enabled the organization to resume full food rations for refugees - victims of drought, and conflicts in the Horn of Africa - after more than a year of cuts caused by a shortage of funding.

"We welcome this critical contribution from China. The WFP has been struggling to provide adequate food to refugees living in northern Kenya due to insufficient funds," she says, adding that the donation will support 420,000 refugees.

Every month, refugees collect a general food ration from the WFP consisting of cereal, pulses, vegetable oil anda nutrient-enriched flour made from soya and maize.

"It is important that our donors continue giving out much-needed assistance for refugees, especially when they are also vulnerable to the effects of the severe drought affecting the country," Conte says.

Liu Xianfa, the Chinese ambassador to Kenya, who toured the camp on June 7, says China has responded to the appeals of the international community for support to the people affected by drought in Kenya and the entire African continent.

"China has rendered support to the assistance programs initiated by multilateral development organizations, and has exchanged experience in an increasingly open-minded manner," he says.

Turkana West Deputy County Commissioner Mohammed Haji thanks the Chinese government for its gesture to support the humanitarian cause. He notes that between January and April, his region received an average of 1,600 refugees per month, and the number has risen to 2,500 between May and June.

To cater to the ever-increasing numbers, Haji urges the Chinese government to help in empowering refugees, especially the young, so that they can engage in income-generating activities.

He says the government, in partnership with humanitarian agencies, is in the process of developing a new model settlement, Kalobeyei, intended to offer a more durable solution to hosting refugees.

In collaboration with the World Bank, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is developing the Kalobeyei Integrated Social and Economic Development Programme, a multi-agency collaboration to develop the local economy and service delivery at Kalobeyei.

The overall objective of this initiative is to reorient the refugee assistance program to contribute to improvement of the socioeconomic conditions of the refugees and host communities.

The initiative will better prepare the host communities to take advantage of emerging economic opportunities in agriculture, thus reducing over-dependence on humanitarian aid as well as supporting the refugees to achieve durable solutions.

Sarah Apiel, a widowed 25-year-old mother of four, says she is grateful to the Chinese government for the assistance.

"While the ration is inadequate to carry us through the month, I'm grateful to the Chinese government and I urge other donor communities to follow suit," she says.

It costs the WFP about $9 million to provide refugees with food each month. It checks the identity of each person collecting food against fingerprint records held by UNHCR.

edithmutethya@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 06/16/2017 page28)