Germany’s Support Helps Rebuild Livelihoods In South Sudan
JUBA – The World Food Programme (WFP) today welcomed a contribution of US$8 million from the Government of Germany to WFP’s recovery operation in South Sudan. The funds will enable WFP to support initiatives to strengthen the resilience of over 180,000 people through food assistance and cash transfers.
“This generous contribution demonstrates Germany’s commitment to fighting hunger in this country beyond emergency assistance,” said Adnan Khan, WFP Representative and Country Director in South Sudan.
“It is important to bring life-saving help but it is equally necessary to help communities improve their livelihoods. It instils a sense of hope in people and allows them to become more self-reliant,” added Khan.
Hunger has reached unprecedented levels in South Sudan with an estimated six million people, half of the population, unsure of where their next meal will come from. WFP and partners bring life-saving assistance to people in extreme need and also support action towards longer-term food security.
This year WFP plans to assist more than 500,000 people, including 260,000 women, through food assistance to build assets such as vegetable gardens, access roads and shallow wells to help families strengthen resilience and rebuild livelihoods.
Participants also receive training on life skills including gardening, and ideas to generate income to sustain themselves. The new funds from Germany will support these activities.
Germany has displayed a firm commitment to improving the lives of people since South Sudan obtained independence in 2011. It has contributed more than US$102 million to WFP’s operations in the last five years.
This includes US$21.9 million earlier in 2017 to support WFP’s efforts to fight famine and provide long-term nutrition activities, as well as funding for the UN Humanitarian Air Service, which enables humanitarian workers to fly within South Sudan.
Sustained donor support for WFP’s operations is vital to keep saving lives and restoring livelihoods. WFP urgently needs US$150 million to cover its food security, logistics and air operations for the next six months. WFP has provided food and nutrition assistance to 3.8 million people since the start of the year.
# # #
WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries.
Follow us on Twitter @wfp_southsudan @wfp_africa
For more information, please contact (email address: firstname.lastname@wfp.org):
George Fominyen, WFP Juba, mobile +211 922 465 247
Peter Smerdon, WFP Nairobi, mobile +254 707 722 104
