Russia provides food assistance vulnerable people in Burkina Faso

The 540 metric tons of yellow split peas and 58.2 metric tons of fortified vegetable oil valued at US$ 1 million will enable WFP to provide food assistance for four months to nearly 45,000 women, men and children. Most internally displaced people (IDPs) are farmers who have been neither able to grow crops nor harvest as they used to, to feed themselves and their families.

“We are witnessing the untold hardship of families who were already affected by the impact of climate change and have now lost everything because of insecurity,” said Anna Ratchina-Coulibaly, Honorary Consul General of the Russian Federation in Burkina Faso.  “That is why we are providing them with easy-to-cook foods that have high nutritional value.”

“We are thankful to the Russian Federation for this much needed support,” said David Bulman, WFP’s Country Director and Representative in Burkina Faso. “This will help people who have fled their homes and host families that have been sharing the few resources they had with internally displaced people.”

Violence has forced more than 765,000 to flee their homes and the results of recent surveys reveal that malnutrition is on the rise among internally displaced children as well as pregnant and nursing women.

The Russian Federation has contributed over $416 million to WFP operations in the last decade. This first contribution to WFP Burkina Faso aims to provide lifesaving support in a complex humanitarian context.

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies, building prosperity and supporting a sustainable future for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

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