SYRIA

NOVEMBER 26, 2012

BY: WILLIAM LAMBERS

Trucks at this NGO warehouse to bring food to Homs. With plans to assist 1.5 million people in Syria this month, WFP has scaled up its operations in this area to keep providing food assistance to those who need it most.

Credits:

WFP/Abeer Etefa

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) is preparing to feed children in Syria a special food to prevent deadly malnutrition. Laure Chadraoui of WFP said today that the peanut paste Plumpy'Doz, "will be distributed starting December benefiting 50,000 children aged 6-36 months." UNICEF and other local organizations will help in distributing the Plumpy'Doz.

With Syria torn by conflict there is great fear small children will suffer from lack of food and nutrition. Without the right food the youngest children can suffer lasting physical and mental damage.

Plumpydoz is a ready-to-eat food that requires no refrigeration or preparation. This food is relatively easier to distribute in conflict zones. The fact that Plumpy'Doz is coming to Syria is another example of the deterioration of the country. Children are not only at risk from the gunfire but also severe hunger.

WFP operations continue to feed 1.5 million people across Syria. The violence though is making the mission increasingly difficult. WFP recently reported that a warehouse in Aleppo was struck by fighting and WFP food was destroyed. Road closures prevented food from reaching Al-Hasakeh for the second consecutive week.

WFP says, "the number of reported displaced individuals reached 850,000 in Aleppo, 63,000 in Tartous, 84,000 in Lattakia, 100,000 in Hama, and 130,000 in Idleb." Hundreds of thousands of Syrians have fled to neighboring countries and are also in need of aid. Food prices also remain high in parts of the country.

WFP reports that its Syria relief mission is facing a funding shortage of $44 million dollars.

You can donate to WFP's Syria relief fund at their web site.