WFP response to famine in East Africa

The International Rugby Board’s humanitarian partner, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), has launched a coordinated emergency response to help the 3.7 million people facing starvation in Somalia as well as increasing activities to target the 11 million people in the Horn of Africa requiring food assistance due to the continued drought in the region.

WFP has declared a corporate emergency, elevating the crisis to the highest level of action and indicating grave concern about the possibility of widespread loss of life.

Despite challenges of reaching those who need urgent assistance, humanitarian agencies are working hard to respond.

In an effort to reach more children with life‐saving interventions, the WFP and its UN partners have scaled up emergency nutrition, water and sanitation, and immunization efforts to combat malnutrition and reduce disease.

To expedite the delivery of supplies into the worst‐affected areas, the UN has started airlifting urgently needed medical, nutrition and water supplies.

The IRB is proud to support the WFP relief effort and through the IRB/WFP Tackle Hunger programme, raises awareness of the WFP’s work, draws attention to the plight of the world's hungry and connects the global Rugby family with the programme.

For more information on the current emergency in Somalia and the Horn of Africa and to find out how you can help WFP tackle the crisis, please visit www.wfp.org