World Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide

Every month, Ecuador receives an average 1,200 Colombian asylum seekers. The majority stay in the northern border area; others move to larger cities in Ecuador.

Claudia Jimena waits with other programme participants, to receive WFP vouchers. She fled Cali in search of a better life for her family.

Vouchers are distributed in the form of magnetic cards, and they can be exchanged for food in selected stores. They are used to fight malnutrition in Colombian refugee families and in vulnerable families of the host communities.

The vouchers' advantage is that families can choose foods from a list of nutritious products and use them for the family's favourite meals.

Claudia signs to validate her purchase with the voucher. Fresh food complements the dry products she also receives from WFP.

The small rented room is filled with food. Claudia and her 5 children (3 to 14 years old) live here: it's their kitchen, living room, bedroom and dining room at the same time. The bathroom is shared with 4 other families.

Claudia immediately starts cooking for her family. She wants her children to eat well, to live a better life.

After eating...

...Daniel is ready to go to school.