Country Donation Keeps WFP Food Aid Flowing Until the End of 2007

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today warmly welcomed a donation of 10,425 metric tons of maize worth US$1.8 million from the Malawian government, which will ensure that tens of thousands of vulnerable Malawians continue to receive crucial food assistance until the end of 2007.

"WFP is extremely grateful for this generous donation from the Malawian government as it will allow us to meet the needs of all our nutrition and HIV/AIDS beneficiaries until the end of the year," said Dom Scalpelli, WFP Country Director in Malawi.

"This latest contribution demonstrates the government's continued support for WFP's vital food assistance programmes in Malawi and reaffirms its position as one of the major donors to our operations in this country."

The Malawi government is the second largest donor after the United States to WFP Malawi's current activities under the three-year protracted relief and recovery operation (PRRO), having so far contributed US$25.6 million to the operation, which finishes at the end of 2007.

Under the PRRO, WFP is currently providing assistance every month to over 110,000 people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS in eight districts across Malawi, which has an adult HIV/AIDS prevalent rate of 14 percent. In addition, WFP is helping around 1,500 malnourished mothers and children in therapeutic feeding centres countrywide.

This donation will enable WFP to continue providing assistance to all of these beneficiaries over the next four months and to gradually scale up its operations as planned to reach a peak of 203,000 people in November and December.

Along with increased numbers of beneficiaries under its HIV/AIDS and therapeutic feeding activities, WFP will also provide food assistance to vulnerable people under a food-for-assets programme that is due to start in November.

"Food is absolutely crucial to the fight against HIV/AIDS and this donation will allow WFP to provide assistance to thousands of poor, hungry families affected by the pandemic," said Scalpelli. "WFP has made a huge difference to the lives of so many Malawians over the years and now we will be able to help even more people in the coming months."