World Food Programme
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian agency and the UN's frontline agency for hunger solutions. In 2009, WFP aims to feed 108 million people in 74 countries.
Over the years, WFP has reached hundreds of millions of people in about 80 countries, using food assistance to meet emergency needs and support economic and social development.
WFP is also the UN logistics lifeline, saving lives through fast, efficient and effective emergency response. At any given time, WFP has 30 ships at sea, 70 aircraft in the sky and 5,000 trucks on the ground, moving food and other assistance to where it is needed most.
WFP has developed sophisticated early warning techniques to assess the need for food aid in emergencies and instances of chronic hunger, meaning that its assistance is targeted to the poorest and most malnourished people.
Since it was founded in 1963, WFP has fed more than 1.6 billion of the world’s poorest people, and invested more than US$41.8 billion in development and emergency relief.
When its help is no longer required, WFP hands over its projects to governments. Nearly 30 countries have taken over WFP programs in the past 10 years.
WFP is funded completely by voluntary donations. In 2008, WFP received contributions from 91 governments and 150 private sector donors.
In 2008, WFP provided 3.9 million tons of food for 102.1 million people in 78 countries worldwide:
- 84.8 million people in emergency and relief operations
- 17.6 million people in development projects
- 62.2 million children
- 20.5 million children in school
- 83.9 million women and children
- 51.9 million women and girls
- 9.5 million internally displaced people
- 1.9 million refugees
- 2.4 million people affected by HIV/AIDS (in 19 of the 25 highest HIV/AIDS prevalence countries)
- 68.0 percent of WFP's assistance was invested in Sub-Saharan African Countries
At the World Food Programme, their Mission is to Meet Urgent Hunger Needs and Address the Root Causes of
World Hunger
WFP's post-emergency and development operations are built around projects focused on preventing hunger taking hold in the future and breaking the cycle of hunger at its root.
WFP's innovative projects allow the hungry and the poor to stop worrying about their next meal and build a sustainable future for themselves, their families and their communities.
Here are some of the ways in which your support of our work will prevent hunger in the future:
School meals
As well as directly addressing hunger, school meal projects encourage families to keep their children in school and so help them build better futures. When children are fed, they will also find it easier to concentrate on their lessons. With a solid education growing children have a better chance of finding their own way out of hunger. These programmes are especially beneficial to girls. Learn more.
Food for Assets
WFP's Food for Assets projects pay the hungry with food to lay the foundations for a better tomorrow. Providing food in exchange for work makes it possible for the poor and the hungry to devote more time and energy to escaping the hunger trap. Similarly, Food for Training projects allow the poor to devote time to learning skills that will sustain them economically in future. Learn more.
HIV/AIDS
WFP uses its food rations to soften the blow of HIV and AIDS. The agency distributes rations to people living with HIV and AIDS, helping to improve their quality of life and ensuring that they get the most out of treatment programmes. Learn more.
Purchase for Progress (P4P)
WFP already buys large amounts of food in developing countries. P4P harnesses this purchasing power and uses it to help poor farmers connect to reliable markets where they can get competitive prices for their produce. With secure markets, farmers will be encouraged to produce more and innovate. The knock-on effect is more food security for everyone. Learn more.
Focus on Women
WFP has long believed that women are the first and fastest solution to reducing hunger and poverty. In both its emergency and development projects, WFP has a special commitment to helping women gain equal access to life's basic needs. Learn more.
Disaster Risk Reduction
A dollar invested today in reducing the risk of disasters saves four or more dollars in the future cost of relief and rehabilitation. By using its experience in disaster situations, WFP can help governments strengthen their preparedness. Learn more.
Thank you for your continued partnership and support of the WFP. Together, we will make a difference!
For more information on WFP, please visit their site at www.wfp.org.
