Care and Assistance for Forced Migrants (CAFOMI) in partnership with World Food Programme (WFP) flagged off food distribution in three of the settlements it manages on Monday, 6th May, 2019 with Nakivale taking the lead.
CAFOMI manages WFP warehouses, under the Extended Distribution Points (EDP) Warehouse Management Services, in Nakivale and Oruchinga which are refugee settlements in Isingiro district, Kyaka II refugee settlement in Kyegegwa district and Palorinya a refugee settlement in Moyo district.
The food items in these warehouses meant for distribution to POCs include cereals (maize/maize meal), corn soya blend (CSB), beans, vegetable oils (fortified with vitamins A and D), and iodized salt. WFP has also entrusted CAFOMI with supplementary foods that is F75, F100 and a powdered mixture of soya and milk for Health Centers to be given to malnourished children in the various settlements.According to mother and child nutrition,F-75 is the “starter” formula used during initial management of malnutrition, beginning as soon as possible and continuing for 2-7 days until the child is stabilized.. F-75 contains 75 kcal and 0.9 g protein per 100 ml. . F-100 contains more calories and protein: 100 kcal and 2.9g protein per 100 ml.
They could also be referred to as Plumpy’Nut which is used as a treatment for emergency malnutrition cases (SAM & MAM). It supports rapid weight gain derived from broad nutrient intake which can alleviate a starving child from impending illness or death. The product is easy for children to eat because it dispenses readily from a durable, tear-open package. The fortified peanut butter-like paste contains fats, dietary fiber, carbohydrates, proteins (as essential macronutrients), vitamins and minerals (as essential micronutrients). Peanut butter itself is a rich source of vitamin E (45% of the Daily Value, DV, in a 100 gram amount) and B vitamins (particularly niacin at 67% DV). Severe acute malnutrition has traditionally been treated with therapeutic milk and required hospitalization. Unlike milk, Plumpy’Nut can be administered at home and without medical supervision. It also provides calories and essential nutrients that restore and maintain body weight and health in severely malnourished children more effectively than F100.
“Warehouse management is a process that allows organizations to control and administer warehouse operations from the time commodities or materials enter a warehouse until they move out.” The RFP\LOG\EDP Warehouses\ Management\7415\06\18 project document reads in part.
According to the Health and Nutrition adviser of CAFOMI, Ezra Otudeku, distribution in Nakivaale started on 6th of May 2018 and is set to end on 22nd May 2019. Two days after Nakivaale, Kyaka II also commenced distribution on 9th May 2019 and plans to end on 17th May 2019, Palorinya started yesterday, 15th May and will end around the 29thof this month leaving Oruchinga next in line for action and that will most likely happen on the day Nakivale intends to finish the distribution process.
“However the end dates of distribution in all the above mentioned places may change depending on a number of factors on ground,”Otudeku said.
CAFOMI with funding from WFP manages the EDPs and also ensures that the food reaches Persons of concern (forced migrants) in good quality. The organisation has a team of experienced and energetic loaders from the host communities especially in Palorinya whereas other sites employ refugees (POCs) as loaders to offload and load trucks that deliver and collect the food items to and from the WFP warehouses.
Otudeku further expressed that CAFOMI is happy to be associated with this noble activity of providing food to the POCs.
