Funding from the Afghanistan humanitarian trust fund through KSrelief supports more than 200,000 Afghans
KABUL – In the past half year, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) was able to provide life-saving food aid to nearly 230,000 hungry people thanks to a grant of US$3.2 million from the Afghanistan Humanitarian Trust Fund (AHTF) managed by its Trustee, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).
The AHTF contribution to WFP’s emergency response comes from funding allocated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) of Saudi Arabia to the AHTF in support of the vulnerable Afghan communities. WFP distributed more than 3,600 metric tons of food - comprising pulses, cooking oil and fortified wheat flour, to families in need across 17 provinces.
"Afghanistan is still reeling from the recent earthquakes, and the hardships communities face across the country are a heartbreaking reality that needs our compassion and solidarity,” said Eng. Mohammad J. Alsaati, Special Adviser to the IsDB President and AHTF Coordinator. “This contribution to the World Food Programme brought immediate relief to our vulnerable Afghan brothers and sisters and underlines the commitment of the AHTF and KSrelief to address the basic needs, promote self-reliance, and stand with the people of Afghanistan.”
Hunger continues to haunt millions of Afghans, with a third of the country uncertain of where their next meal will come from. Families are less prepared than ever to face the harsh winter months when hunger bites hardest, and communities in mountainous areas are cut off by mounds of snow and ice.
“At a time of massive funding shortfalls, this contribution helped WFP reach some of the most vulnerable families struggling to feed their children,” said Hsiao-Wei Lee, WFP Country Director in Afghanistan, “the recent slight improvement of the food security situation in Afghanistan is also thanks to the large-scale, sustained humanitarian food assistance, made possible by our partners’ support.”
From January to November 2023, WFP reached 18.4 million people with more than 559,000 MT of food and US$173 million in cash or vouchers across all programmes. Of those assisted, 9.3 million were women and girls, and over 10.5 million were children.
The AHTF was established by the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at its 17th Extraordinary Session held on 19 December 2021 in Islamabad, Pakistan, to serve as a vehicle to channel humanitarian assistance in the country. It is managed and operated by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).
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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change.
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