A stark warning has emerged from Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, where a reduction in US funding has led to alarming food shortages, leaving many families facing starvation.
**Starvation Alarm: Children in Kenya's Refugee Camps Face Dire Food Shortages**
**Starvation Alarm: Children in Kenya's Refugee Camps Face Dire Food Shortages**
US Aid Cuts Lead to Severe Malnutrition Among Refugees in Kakuma Camps
In the sprawling Kakuma refugee camp, home to roughly 300,000 individuals who have fled violence across Africa and the Middle East, the effects of severe cuts to US aid are palpable. A United Nations official revealed that refugee health has dramatically declined, particularly among children, as food rations shrink to alarmingly low levels.
Inside Kakuma's Amusait Hospital, a 30-bed ward is filled with emaciated children undergoing treatment for severe acute malnutrition. Among them is baby Hellen, whose frail skin is a visible symbol of the devastation caused by malnutrition. Her mother, Agnes Awila, expresses her despair: “The food is not enough, my children eat only once a day. If there's no food, what do you feed them?”
The dire situation stems from significant cuts to the World Food Programme (WFP) funding, primarily due to recent US policy changes that reduced American aid dramatically, affecting operations in Kenya where the US previously contributed about 70% of WFP’s budget. As a result, food rations have been sliced to just 30% of the minimum nutritional requirements for healthy survival.
Felix Okech, head of WFP operations in Kenya, warned that without intervention, a prolonged lack of sufficient food would create a community in the process of “slowly starving.” Outside the food distribution centre, refugees wait in long lines for limited supplies. Despite receiving some food, many like Mukuniwa Bililo Mami struggle to make their rations last, as decreased amounts have forced them into a desperate situation, reminiscent of better rations provided in the past.
The WFP's cessation of cash transfers to families further exacerbates people's plight, leaving mothers like Mami unable to buy essential items. Many have used previous cash assistance to purchase healthier food or start small businesses that now face collapse without customer support.
At the heart of the camp, single mother Agnes Livio describes her family's struggle to survive, as they now often eat their first meal of the day in the afternoon—a stark contrast to their previous routine.
As medics in the hospital continue to care for malnourished infants with feeding tubes, prospects for renewed funding remain bleak. Unless the situation improves, Kakuma's refugees face the looming threat of starvation. Okech cautions that with ongoing funding gaps, the future looks grim: “If you're still missing 70%, those prospects are not good.”
This unfolding crisis highlights the urgent need for renewed global support to avert further catastrophe in one of the world’s most vulnerable populations.
Inside Kakuma's Amusait Hospital, a 30-bed ward is filled with emaciated children undergoing treatment for severe acute malnutrition. Among them is baby Hellen, whose frail skin is a visible symbol of the devastation caused by malnutrition. Her mother, Agnes Awila, expresses her despair: “The food is not enough, my children eat only once a day. If there's no food, what do you feed them?”
The dire situation stems from significant cuts to the World Food Programme (WFP) funding, primarily due to recent US policy changes that reduced American aid dramatically, affecting operations in Kenya where the US previously contributed about 70% of WFP’s budget. As a result, food rations have been sliced to just 30% of the minimum nutritional requirements for healthy survival.
Felix Okech, head of WFP operations in Kenya, warned that without intervention, a prolonged lack of sufficient food would create a community in the process of “slowly starving.” Outside the food distribution centre, refugees wait in long lines for limited supplies. Despite receiving some food, many like Mukuniwa Bililo Mami struggle to make their rations last, as decreased amounts have forced them into a desperate situation, reminiscent of better rations provided in the past.
The WFP's cessation of cash transfers to families further exacerbates people's plight, leaving mothers like Mami unable to buy essential items. Many have used previous cash assistance to purchase healthier food or start small businesses that now face collapse without customer support.
At the heart of the camp, single mother Agnes Livio describes her family's struggle to survive, as they now often eat their first meal of the day in the afternoon—a stark contrast to their previous routine.
As medics in the hospital continue to care for malnourished infants with feeding tubes, prospects for renewed funding remain bleak. Unless the situation improves, Kakuma's refugees face the looming threat of starvation. Okech cautions that with ongoing funding gaps, the future looks grim: “If you're still missing 70%, those prospects are not good.”
This unfolding crisis highlights the urgent need for renewed global support to avert further catastrophe in one of the world’s most vulnerable populations.
