NAIROBI, Kenya – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced a substantial boost to its refugee assistance efforts in Kenya, thanks to a generous contribution of US$37 million from the United States Government.
This vital funding will allow WFP to increase food rations and resume cash transfers to vulnerable refugees in the Dadaab and Kakuma camps, ensuring essential support through December 2024.
In collaboration with the Kenyan Government and the UN Refugee Agency, WFP is transitioning from a uniform aid distribution system to a needs-based approach.
This innovative method tailors food assistance based on the specific food security and socio-economic status of each refugee family, rather than providing a one-size-fits-all solution.
Currently, 650,000 refugees receive the same level of support, but the new strategy aims to prioritize the most vulnerable and promote self-reliance among those less in need.
“Providing assistance according to levels of need ensures that the most vulnerable are prioritized based on available resources, while weaning the least vulnerable off humanitarian assistance and supporting them to become self-reliant instead,” explained Lauren Landis, WFP’s Country Director in Kenya.
The infusion of US$37 million comes at a critical time. Chronic funding shortfalls had forced WFP to cut food rations to an unprecedented low of 40 percent and halt cash transfers for 580,000 refugees since May 2024.
The recent contribution will enable WFP to raise food assistance levels to 60 percent of the minimum ration and reinstate the “Bamba Chakula” cash transfer program in Dadaab and Kakuma.
This increase in support will not only provide more food to refugee families but also stimulate local markets and improve access to diverse diets.
Refugees in Kenya have been facing multiple challenges, with a dramatic 60 percent increase in the refugee and asylum seeker population since 2019.
The climate crisis has exacerbated their plight, with recurrent droughts and floods devastating their limited resources.
“Refugee families have had a very difficult past two months – surviving on less than half of the minimum food required for a healthy life,” said Landis.
The needs-based assistance approach is a key element of a broader strategy to transform refugee camps into integrated settlements, aligning with the Kenyan Government’s policy.
This shift acknowledges the potential of refugees as contributors to Kenya’s socio-economic development.
By supporting refugees to become more self-reliant, WFP and its partners aim to integrate them into the broader economic fabric of the country, fostering growth and resilience.
