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The companies will contribute a combined $525,000 to help the
Rick Leach, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of World Food Programme USA. |
“We can turn the tide and save millions of lives,” said Rick Leach, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of World Food Programme USA. “Support from leading companies and individuals will be the key to reaching millions of people as quickly as possible before it’s too late.”
Currently drought, economic instability and conflict are having a profound impact on more than 16 million people, including:
• In Somalia, two consecutive below-average rainy seasons have resulted in near total crop failure, widespread water and pasture shortages, an increase in livestock deaths and spikes in staple food prices, leaving 3 million people unsure of where their next meal is coming from.
• In South Sudan, more than 40% of the population requires urgent emergency food assistance as a result of conflict-induced food insecurity, and 100,000 people are facing life-threatening famine conditions.
• In Ethiopia, 5.6 million people require emergency food assistance as a result of drought.
• In Kenya, nearly 344,000 young children are acutely malnourished as a result of the ongoing drought in the country’s arid and semi-arid northern and eastern regions.
Due to the collaboration, the WFP is able to provide emergency food and nutrition assistance, including e-voucher-cards for local food purchases, in-kind food rations, and targeted nutrition support for pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children.
“Companies and individuals are stepping up to address the emergency and advance longer term solutions,” Leach said. “We hope it inspires others to donate and get involved today.”