U.S.A. Makes New Contribution To WFP’s Life-Saving Work Fighting Hunger In Yemen

The contribution comprises US$15 million in cash for the innovative e-voucher project, which WFP provides when food is available in the market but is out of reach for the poor. The vouchers also help to stimulate the local economy. The remaining US$25 million will be used to purchase up to 27,000 metric tons of food, mainly wheat, yellow split peas and vegetable oil for general food distribution.  

“The United States is our most reliable and consistently our largest donor,” said Bishow Parajuli, WFP’s Representative and Country Director, at an event hosted in Sana’a on Monday. “In 2013, the US generously donated 77,500 metric tons of food worth more than US$68 million, allowing WFP to reach more than three million of the poorest Yemenis in the first six months of this year. WFP is entirely dependent on such government support, without which we simply cannot run our programmes to assist the most vulnerable.”

In July, WFP launched a new operation, which will target six million food insecure people in Yemen over the next two years. The project will support a gradual shift from relief towards livelihood support and building resilience through productive safety net activities, creating jobs, enhancing agriculture, promoting education and combating Yemen’s malnutrition crisis.

“Yemen is the seventh most food insecure country in the world and a staggering 10.6 million people go to bed hungry every day,” explained Herbie Smith, the USAID Mission Director in Yemen. “The Government of the United States of America is proud to support WFP’s life-saving work in Yemen and is confident that this contribution will allow it to continue its critical projects, serving the most vulnerable populations and assisting it to become a more robust and resilient nation.”

“This donation is a reflection of the United States Government’s commitment to the people of Yemen,” said Karen Sasahara, Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy.  “Through our partnership with WFP and the Government of Yemen, we are creating opportunities to build Yemenis’ resilience to overcome the impact of food insecurity.”

WFP and its many local and international humanitarian partners work around the clock to provide food and other life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable groups in Yemen.

#                              #                                 #

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food in emergencies and working with communities to build resilience. In 2013, WFP assisted more than 80 million people in 75 countries.

Follow us on Twitter @wfp_media and @wfp_mena

For more information please contact:

Edward Johnson, WFP/Sana’a, Mob. +967 7352110222

Fares Khoailed, WFP/Sana’a, Mob.  +967 735020663