World Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide

Ceremony for launch of Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programme, aiming to provide food assistance to 25,000 children between 6 and 59 months.  The launch took place at Besse village in western Gambia.  This activity is in addition to the ongoing general food distributions for 206,000 people affected by the Sahel crisis. 

WFP Country Director Vitoria Ginja shows the audience the commodities for the Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programme.  These include: super cereal, a corn soya blend, and oil fortified with vitamin A and D.

The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Honorable Fatim Badji, looks over the details of the programme at the launch.

WFP staff write out distributions of food assistance.  Food distributions are to be carried out in 46 sites located in the 14 most affected districts to prevent malnourishment of children under five during the lean season.  

A young girl has her mid upper arm circumference measured to determine her nutritional status.  Children identified with moderate acute malnutrition are referred to health centers for treatment through targeted supplementary feeding activities.

Women and children queue up to receive food.

Super cereal, a corn soya blend and a main commodity of the Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programme, is weighed and poured into bags. 

A boy watches as oil fortified with vitamin A and D is poured into a container. 

The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Honorable Fatim Badji, hands over a ration of food to a mother of two children under the age of five. 

A young boy stands near a sack of super cereal.  At Besse village, where the launch took place, there is a caseload of around 780 children.