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Hamilton Spectator
6 hours ago
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Food rations are halved in one of Africa's largest refugee camps after US aid cuts
KAKUMA, Kenya (AP) — Martin Komol sighs as he inspects his cracked, mud-walled house that is one rain away from fully collapsing. Nothing seems to last for him and 300,000 other refugees in this remote Kakuma camp in Kenya — now, not even food rations. Funding for the U.N. World Food Program has dropped after the Trump administration paused support in March, part of the widespread dismantling of foreign aid by the United States, once the world's biggest donor. That means Komol, a widowed father of five from Uganda, has been living on handouts from neighbors since his latest monthly ration ran out two weeks ago. He said he survives on one meal a day, sometimes a meal every two days. 'When we can't find anyone to help us, we become sick, but when we go to the hospital, they say it's just hunger and tell us to go back home,' the 59-year-old said. His wife is buried here. He is reluctant to return to Uganda, one of the more than 20 home countries of Kakuma's refugees. Food rations have been halved. Previous ration cuts led to protests in March. Monthly cash transfers that refugees used to buy proteins and vegetables to supplement the rice, lentils and cooking oil distributed by WFP have ended this month. Each refugee now receives 3 kilograms (6 pounds) of rice per month, far below the 9 kilograms recommended by the U.N. for optimal nutrition. WFP hopes to receive the next donation of rice by August. That's along with 1 kilogram of lentils and 500 milliliters of cooking oil per person. 'Come August, we are likely to see a more difficult scenario. If WFP doesn't receive any funding between now and then, it means only a fraction of the refugees will be able to get assistance. It means only the most extremely vulnerable will be targeted,' said Colin Buleti, WFP's head in Kakuma. WFP is seeking help from other donors. As dust swirls along paths between the camp's makeshift houses, the youngest children run and play, largely unaware of their parents' fears. But they can't escape hunger. Komol's 10-year-old daughter immerses herself in schoolbooks when there's nothing to eat. 'When she was younger she used to cry, but now she tries to ask for food from the neighbors, and when she can't get any she just sleeps hungry,' Komol said. In recent weeks, they have drunk water to try to feel full. The shrinking rations have led to rising cases of malnutrition among children under 5 and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. At Kakuma's largest hospital, run by the International Rescue Committee, children with malnutrition are given fortified formula milk. Nutrition officer Sammy Nyang'a said some children are brought in too late and die within the first few hours of admission. The 30-bed stabilization ward admitted 58 children in March, 146 in April and 106 in May. Fifteen children died in April, up from the monthly average of five. He worries they will see more this month. 'Now with the cash transfers gone, we expect more women and children to be unable to afford a balanced diet,' Nyang'a said. The hospital had been providing nutrient-dense porridge for children and mothers, but the flour has run out after stocks, mostly from the U.S., were depleted in March. A fortified peanut paste given to children who have been discharged is also running out, with current supplies available until August. In the ward of whimpering children, Susan Martine from South Sudan cares for her 2-year-old daughter, who has sores after swelling caused by severe malnutrition. The mother of three said her family often sleeps hungry, but her older children still receive hot lunches from a WFP school feeding program. For some children in the camp, it's their only meal. The program also faces pressure from the aid cuts. 'I don't know how we will survive with the little food we have received this month,' Martine said. The funding cuts are felt beyond Kakuma's refugee community. Businessman Chol Jook recorded monthly sales of 700,000 Kenyan shillings ($5,400) from the WFP cash transfer program and now faces losses. Those who are hungry could slip into debt as they buy on credit, he said. ___ For more on Africa and development: The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
The Hill
6 hours ago
- General
- The Hill
Food rations are halved in one of Africa's largest refugee camps after US aid cuts
KAKUMA, Kenya (AP) — Martin Komol sighs as he inspects his cracked, mud-walled house that is one rain away from fully collapsing. Nothing seems to last for him and 300,000 other refugees in this remote Kakuma camp in Kenya — now, not even food rations. Funding for the U.N. World Food Program has dropped after the Trump administration paused support in March, part of the widespread dismantling of foreign aid by the United States, once the world's biggest donor. That means Komol, a widowed father of five from Uganda, has been living on handouts from neighbors since his latest monthly ration ran out two weeks ago. He said he survives on one meal a day, sometimes a meal every two days. 'When we can't find anyone to help us, we become sick, but when we go to the hospital, they say it's just hunger and tell us to go back home,' the 59-year-old said. His wife is buried here. He is reluctant to return to Uganda, one of the more than 20 home countries of Kakuma's refugees. Food rations have been halved. Previous ration cuts led to protests in March. Monthly cash transfers that refugees used to buy proteins and vegetables to supplement the rice, lentils and cooking oil distributed by WFP have ended this month. Each refugee now receives 3 kilograms (6 pounds) of rice per month, far below the 9 kilograms recommended by the U.N. for optimal nutrition. WFP hopes to receive the next donation of rice by August. That's along with 1 kilogram of lentils and 500 milliliters of cooking oil per person. 'Come August, we are likely to see a more difficult scenario. If WFP doesn't receive any funding between now and then, it means only a fraction of the refugees will be able to get assistance. It means only the most extremely vulnerable will be targeted,' said Colin Buleti, WFP's head in Kakuma. WFP is seeking help from other donors. As dust swirls along paths between the camp's makeshift houses, the youngest children run and play, largely unaware of their parents' fears. But they can't escape hunger. Komol's 10-year-old daughter immerses herself in schoolbooks when there's nothing to eat. 'When she was younger she used to cry, but now she tries to ask for food from the neighbors, and when she can't get any she just sleeps hungry,' Komol said. In recent weeks, they have drunk water to try to feel full. The shrinking rations have led to rising cases of malnutrition among children under 5 and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. At Kakuma's largest hospital, run by the International Rescue Committee, children with malnutrition are given fortified formula milk. Nutrition officer Sammy Nyang'a said some children are brought in too late and die within the first few hours of admission. The 30-bed stabilization ward admitted 58 children in March, 146 in April and 106 in May. Fifteen children died in April, up from the monthly average of five. He worries they will see more this month. 'Now with the cash transfers gone, we expect more women and children to be unable to afford a balanced diet,' Nyang'a said. The hospital had been providing nutrient-dense porridge for children and mothers, but the flour has run out after stocks, mostly from the U.S., were depleted in March. A fortified peanut paste given to children who have been discharged is also running out, with current supplies available until August. In the ward of whimpering children, Susan Martine from South Sudan cares for her 2-year-old daughter, who has sores after swelling caused by severe malnutrition. The mother of three said her family often sleeps hungry, but her older children still receive hot lunches from a WFP school feeding program. For some children in the camp, it's their only meal. The program also faces pressure from the aid cuts. 'I don't know how we will survive with the little food we have received this month,' Martine said. The funding cuts are felt beyond Kakuma's refugee community. Businessman Chol Jook recorded monthly sales of 700,000 Kenyan shillings ($5,400) from the WFP cash transfer program and now faces losses. Those who are hungry could slip into debt as they buy on credit, he said. ___ For more on Africa and development: The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
San Francisco Chronicle
6 hours ago
- General
- San Francisco Chronicle
Food rations are halved in one of Africa's largest refugee camps after US aid cuts
KAKUMA, Kenya (AP) — Martin Komol sighs as he inspects his cracked, mud-walled house that is one rain away from fully collapsing. Nothing seems to last for him and 300,000 other refugees in this remote Kakuma camp in Kenya — now, not even food rations. Funding for the U.N. World Food Program has dropped after the Trump administration paused support in March, part of the widespread dismantling of foreign aid by the United States, once the world's biggest donor. That means Komol, a widowed father of five from Uganda, has been living on handouts from neighbors since his latest monthly ration ran out two weeks ago. He said he survives on one meal a day, sometimes a meal every two days. 'When we can't find anyone to help us, we become sick, but when we go to the hospital, they say it's just hunger and tell us to go back home,' the 59-year-old said. His wife is buried here. He is reluctant to return to Uganda, one of the more than 20 home countries of Kakuma's refugees. Food rations have been halved. Previous ration cuts led to protests in March. Monthly cash transfers that refugees used to buy proteins and vegetables to supplement the rice, lentils and cooking oil distributed by WFP have ended this month. Each refugee now receives 3 kilograms (6 pounds) of rice per month, far below the 9 kilograms recommended by the U.N. for optimal nutrition. WFP hopes to receive the next donation of rice by August. That's along with 1 kilogram of lentils and 500 milliliters of cooking oil per person. 'Come August, we are likely to see a more difficult scenario. If WFP doesn't receive any funding between now and then, it means only a fraction of the refugees will be able to get assistance. It means only the most extremely vulnerable will be targeted,' said Colin Buleti, WFP's head in Kakuma. WFP is seeking help from other donors. As dust swirls along paths between the camp's makeshift houses, the youngest children run and play, largely unaware of their parents' fears. But they can't escape hunger. Komol's 10-year-old daughter immerses herself in schoolbooks when there's nothing to eat. 'When she was younger she used to cry, but now she tries to ask for food from the neighbors, and when she can't get any she just sleeps hungry,' Komol said. In recent weeks, they have drunk water to try to feel full. The shrinking rations have led to rising cases of malnutrition among children under 5 and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. At Kakuma's largest hospital, run by the International Rescue Committee, children with malnutrition are given fortified formula milk. Nutrition officer Sammy Nyang'a said some children are brought in too late and die within the first few hours of admission. The 30-bed stabilization ward admitted 58 children in March, 146 in April and 106 in May. Fifteen children died in April, up from the monthly average of five. He worries they will see more this month. 'Now with the cash transfers gone, we expect more women and children to be unable to afford a balanced diet,' Nyang'a said. The hospital had been providing nutrient-dense porridge for children and mothers, but the flour has run out after stocks, mostly from the U.S., were depleted in March. A fortified peanut paste given to children who have been discharged is also running out, with current supplies available until August. In the ward of whimpering children, Susan Martine from South Sudan cares for her 2-year-old daughter, who has sores after swelling caused by severe malnutrition. The mother of three said her family often sleeps hungry, but her older children still receive hot lunches from a WFP school feeding program. For some children in the camp, it's their only meal. The program also faces pressure from the aid cuts. 'I don't know how we will survive with the little food we have received this month,' Martine said. Those who are hungry could slip into debt as they buy on credit, he said. ___ The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Winnipeg Free Press
6 hours ago
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Food rations are halved in one of Africa's largest refugee camps after US aid cuts
KAKUMA, Kenya (AP) — Martin Komol sighs as he inspects his cracked, mud-walled house that is one rain away from fully collapsing. Nothing seems to last for him and 300,000 other refugees in this remote Kakuma camp in Kenya — now, not even food rations. Funding for the U.N. World Food Program has dropped after the Trump administration paused support in March, part of the widespread dismantling of foreign aid by the United States, once the world's biggest donor. That means Komol, a widowed father of five from Uganda, has been living on handouts from neighbors since his latest monthly ration ran out two weeks ago. He said he survives on one meal a day, sometimes a meal every two days. 'When we can't find anyone to help us, we become sick, but when we go to the hospital, they say it's just hunger and tell us to go back home,' the 59-year-old said. His wife is buried here. He is reluctant to return to Uganda, one of the more than 20 home countries of Kakuma's refugees. Food rations have been halved. Previous ration cuts led to protests in March. Monthly cash transfers that refugees used to buy proteins and vegetables to supplement the rice, lentils and cooking oil distributed by WFP have ended this month. Each refugee now receives 3 kilograms (6 pounds) of rice per month, far below the 9 kilograms recommended by the U.N. for optimal nutrition. WFP hopes to receive the next donation of rice by August. That's along with 1 kilogram of lentils and 500 milliliters of cooking oil per person. 'Come August, we are likely to see a more difficult scenario. If WFP doesn't receive any funding between now and then, it means only a fraction of the refugees will be able to get assistance. It means only the most extremely vulnerable will be targeted,' said Colin Buleti, WFP's head in Kakuma. WFP is seeking help from other donors. As dust swirls along paths between the camp's makeshift houses, the youngest children run and play, largely unaware of their parents' fears. But they can't escape hunger. Komol's 10-year-old daughter immerses herself in schoolbooks when there's nothing to eat. 'When she was younger she used to cry, but now she tries to ask for food from the neighbors, and when she can't get any she just sleeps hungry,' Komol said. In recent weeks, they have drunk water to try to feel full. The shrinking rations have led to rising cases of malnutrition among children under 5 and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. At Kakuma's largest hospital, run by the International Rescue Committee, children with malnutrition are given fortified formula milk. Nutrition officer Sammy Nyang'a said some children are brought in too late and die within the first few hours of admission. The 30-bed stabilization ward admitted 58 children in March, 146 in April and 106 in May. Fifteen children died in April, up from the monthly average of five. He worries they will see more this month. 'Now with the cash transfers gone, we expect more women and children to be unable to afford a balanced diet,' Nyang'a said. The hospital had been providing nutrient-dense porridge for children and mothers, but the flour has run out after stocks, mostly from the U.S., were depleted in March. A fortified peanut paste given to children who have been discharged is also running out, with current supplies available until August. In the ward of whimpering children, Susan Martine from South Sudan cares for her 2-year-old daughter, who has sores after swelling caused by severe malnutrition. The mother of three said her family often sleeps hungry, but her older children still receive hot lunches from a WFP school feeding program. For some children in the camp, it's their only meal. The program also faces pressure from the aid cuts. 'I don't know how we will survive with the little food we have received this month,' Martine said. The funding cuts are felt beyond Kakuma's refugee community. Businessman Chol Jook recorded monthly sales of 700,000 Kenyan shillings ($5,400) from the WFP cash transfer program and now faces losses. Those who are hungry could slip into debt as they buy on credit, he said. ___ For more on Africa and development: The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
The Age
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Age
As bombs rain down on Israel and Iran, Gaza's carnage continues
Even as Israel carried out another wave of strikes on Iran on Tuesday, dozens of Palestinians were killed while trying to get aid, with witnesses reporting that Israeli tanks fired shells near a crowd gathered along a route used by aid trucks. It was the deadliest in a string of incidents to have taken place over the past month near aid distribution centres, as Israel looks to sideline the United Nations as the key aid provider in Gaza. Health officials in Gaza say almost 400 Palestinians have now been killed near humanitarian centres since aid deliveries resumed in late May. The latest incident took place near a World Food Program site in Khan Younis, but many of the deaths have occurred near centres operated by the controversial US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The UN has labelled their aid hubs 'militarised distribution points'. Israeli gunfire and strikes killed at least 140 people across Gaza in the past 24 hours, local health officials said on Wednesday, as some Palestinians said their plight had been forgotten as attention shifted to Israel's campaign against Iran. 'People are being slaughtered in Gaza, day and night, but attention has shifted to the Iran-Israel war. There is little news about Gaza these days,' said Adel, a resident of Gaza City. 'Whoever doesn't die from Israeli bombs dies from hunger. People risk their lives every day to get food, and they also get killed and their blood smears the sacks of flour they thought they had won,' he told Reuters via a chat app. 'We are maybe happy to see Israel suffer from Iranian rockets, but at the end of the day, one more day in this war costs the lives of tens of innocent people,' said 47-year-old Shaban Abed, a father of five from northern Gaza. Medical staff said separate airstrikes on Wednesday on homes in the Maghazi refugee camp, the Zeitun neighbourhood and Gaza City killed at least 21 people, while five others were killed in an airstrike on an encampment in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. In the Khan Younis incident on Tuesday, medics said at least 59 people were killed by Israeli tank fire near a World Food Program site, in one of the deadliest single events since hostilities resumed after the March truce. The Israeli military said it was investigating the incident and regretted 'any harm to uninvolved individuals'. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, at least 531 people were killed and 2486 injured across the territory between June 11 and 18. The latest death tolls included the most recent killings of Palestinians seeking aid in the weeks since Israel partially lifted its total blockade and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began operating. Israel and the US say the GHF provides a means to deliver aid directly to Palestinians outside existing humanitarian lines of supply, which are vulnerable to being stolen or siphoned off by Hamas – a charge the group denies. But Palestinian officials, medics and witnesses say Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire near the hubs, causing mass casualties among desperate crowds. The Israeli military has said its troops only fire in self-defence or at military targets, and that it always tries to minimise the loss of civilian life. The World Food Program on Wednesday warned that people's desperation for food was causing them to gather en masse along well-known transport routes in the hope of intercepting supplies. 'Any violence resulting in starving people being killed or injured while seeking life-saving assistance is completely unacceptable,' it said in a statement, which also called for a big increase in food distribution. The head of the UN's Palestinian refugee agency, Philippe Lazzarini, attacked the current aid system as 'a disgrace & a stain on our collective consciousness', in a post on X on Wednesday. Amid the violence, the UN's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) again warned of a looming famine and the World Food Program called for a big increase in food distribution, saying the 9000 tonnes it had sent recently was a 'tiny fraction' of what was needed. Gaza's hospitals are also overstretched and face critical shortages of essential medicines and supplies, OCHA says, while also dealing with mass casualty events and fuel shortages. Medical teams have reportedly suffered fainting episodes due to exhaustion and lack of food. An estimated 55,000 pregnant women in Gaza also face growing health risks, such as miscarriage, stillbirth, and undernourished newborns, OCHA warns, while other life-saving and critical care services are at imminent risk of shutting down, including 80 per cent of maternity units. In the three months since hostilities resumed, OCHA estimates that more than 680,000 people have been displaced from their homes, and less than 18 per cent of Gaza now remains outside Israeli militarised or evacuation zones. Since the ceasefire ended in March, Israeli forces have escalated their bombardment from the air, land and sea and expanded ground operations, destroying yet more civilian infrastructure and causing large-scale displacement. Many people have been forced to take refuge in any available space, including overcrowded refugee sites, makeshift shelters, bombed-out buildings, streets and open areas, OCHA reports. Fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups has also been reported. The death toll in Gaza since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which triggered the war, is now at least 55,637, with 129,880 injured, according to the Hamas-run ministry. That figure includes some 5334 people killed and 17,839 injured since fighting resumed on March 18, according to health ministry figures. Hamas militants killed 1200 people in the 2023 attack on Israel and took 251 people hostage. Fifty-three hostages are still being held by Hamas in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive. As Israel and Iran continue to trade fire, on Wednesday, Amnesty International accused both sides of 'time and again' demonstrating 'utter disregard for international human rights' and 'committing grave international crimes with impunity'. 'The world must not allow Israel to use this military escalation to divert attention away from its ongoing genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip', Amnesty secretary-general Agnès Callamard said.
