The World Food Programme (WFP) in Malawi has confirmed that a significant funding shortfall has compelled them to halve food rations for over 50,000 residents at Dzaleka, the nation’s sole refugee camp. This drastic action has been taken at a time when the camp’s refugees were already protesting insufficient food aid, leading to some voluntarily returning to their home countries.
Earlier this month, 38 refugees originally from Burundi returned home. Plans are also underway, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to repatriate an additional group of over 50 refugees.
Simon Denhere, Acting Director for the WFP in Malawi, communicated with VOA through a messaging app, explaining that the shortfall is due to a combination of issues, including the escalating costs of food both domestically and internationally.
“Various factors are in play here, including the conflict in Ukraine, the enforcement of encampment policy by the Malawian government, and the surge in refugees worldwide. Mobilising resources is increasingly proving to be a formidable challenge,” Denhere stated.
Dzaleka refugee camp, which provides a sanctuary for more than 50,000 refugees primarily from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Somalia, is facing numerous difficulties such as inadequate shelter, health services, water, and sanitation.
WFP typically offers monthly cash aid at the camp, designed to meet the minimum recommended energy requirements of 2,100 kilocalories. However, due to the food cuts, the refugees will now receive a monthly cash allowance of just $5.90 per person.
Niyibigira Goreth, a refugee from Burundi and community leader at Dzaleka, fears that the reduction in food aid may force many vulnerable women and girls into prostitution and men into theft as survival strategies.
“Just picture subsisting on 5,000 Malawi Kwacha a month. How can you afford all your food for a month? This small sum will severely impact the refugees; some may resort to prostitution, and others might turn to thievery,” Goreth expressed.
This setback comes as the government proceeds with the relocation of refugees living outside the camp, adhering to its encampment policy that confines refugees within the camp premises. Malawian officials reported this month that more than 2,000 of the projected 8,000 refugees have been relocated to the camp.
Mikayas Bakola, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, residing in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, with his Malawian spouse, told VOA the food shortage at Dzaleka has split his family.
“Even if you call my wife now, we’re separated. She resides in Lilongwe. We figured that if she brought the children, I couldn’t support them financially because I’m not receiving food,” he revealed.
Last year, the WFP in Malawi removed nearly 700 refugee families from food assistance due to funding crises. In a statement issued this week, the WFP’s Malawi office stated it requires $6.3 million to restore the food assistance to previous levels until June 2024.
“WFP is striving to engage donors and will intensify its efforts to secure funding to prevent further reduction in assistance,” Denhere affirmed.
In the interim, the WFP is championing an enabling environment for increased self-reliance amongst the refugees and exploring opportunities that would make the refugees self-sustaining.
Image Credit: World Food Programme Malawi/Twitter
