KABUL: In a sobering development, the World Food Programme (WFP) recently announced its heartbreaking decision to cease food assistance to an additional two million hungry individuals in Afghanistan during the month of September.
This unfortunate development brings the total number of people deprived of vital support this year in the country to a staggering 10 million. The primary reason behind this grim decision is a massive funding shortfall that has left the WFP with no option but to reduce its reach in a nation already grappling with alarming levels of hunger and malnutrition.
The press release further outlines that, going forward, WFP will only be able to provide emergency assistance to a limited 3 million individuals each month. The consequences of such a stark reduction in aid are profound, forcing the organization to make a heart-wrenching choice between those who are hungry and those who are starving, leaving countless families uncertain about where their next meal will come from. Hsiao-Wei Lee, WFP’s Country Director and Representative in Afghanistan lamented, “With the few resources we have left, we are not able to serve all those people teetering on the edge of utter destitution.”
It is essential to understand the gravity of this situation as it directly impacts the lives of vulnerable individuals, particularly mothers and children. This reduction in food aid implies that approximately 1.4 million mothers and their children will no longer receive specialized food designed to prevent malnutrition. Predictably, the number of admissions to nursing homes is anticipated to rise sharply in the coming months, underscoring the dire consequences of this funding crisis.
For the next six months, the WFP urgently requires an infusion of $1 billion to carry out its planned mission of providing lifesaving food, nutrition assistance, and livelihood support to an estimated 21 million people in Afghanistan. This funding deficit poses an immense challenge to humanitarian efforts in a nation already reeling from economic hardships and social crises.
In response to the WFP’s reduced assistance, the people of Afghanistan are pleading for increased support from humanitarian organizations. Residents of Kabul, like Shahzad and Shafiullah, express their struggles to make ends meet with meagre daily earnings, emphasizing the critical need for aid to reach the most destitute members of their communities.
Tragically, individuals like Mohammad Sediq, the sole breadwinner for a family of ten, who repairs shoes in Kabul, have yet to receive any assistance from humanitarian organizations. His frustration is echoed by many who feel that aid is disproportionately reaching the affluent, while those who are genuinely in need continue to suffer.
