Food Rations are Halved In One of Africa’s Largest Refugee Camps After US Aid Cuts

June 27, 2025

The United Nations World Food Program in Kenya's Kakuma refugee camp is facing a severe funding crisis after the Trump administration paused support in March, forcing ration cuts for 300,000 refugees. Monthly food rations have been halved and cash transfers that allowed refugees to supplement their diets have ended completely, leaving many like Martin Komol, a Ugandan widower, surviving on just one meal per day or less. The reduced rations—now just 3 kilograms of rice monthly per person instead of the recommended 9 kilograms—have led to alarming increases in malnutrition cases among children and pregnant women, with local hospitals reporting triple the normal admission rates and higher mortality.

Who is affected

300,000 refugees living in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya
Children under 5 years old suffering from increasing rates of malnutrition
Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers experiencing malnutrition
Specific refugees mentioned include Martin Komol (a widowed father of five from Uganda) and Susan Martine from South Sudan and her children
Local businesses and merchants like Chol Jook who previously benefited from the cash transfer program
Hospital staff and resources at Kakuma's largest hospital run by the International Rescue Committee

What action is being taken

The World Food Program is currently distributing severely reduced food rations (3 kilograms of rice, 1 kilogram of lentils, and 500 milliliters of cooking oil per person monthly)
WFP is actively seeking help from other donors to address the funding gap
Kakuma's largest hospital, run by the International Rescue Committee, is treating malnourished children with fortified formula milk
The hospital is continuing to provide care despite dwindling supplies of nutrient-dense porridge and fortified peanut paste
A WFP school feeding program is still providing hot lunches for some children in the camp

Why it matters

The food shortage is creating a humanitarian crisis with refugees surviving on one meal per day or less
Child malnutrition cases have increased dramatically (58 in March, 146 in April, 106 in May)
Child mortality has tripled from an average of five deaths monthly to fifteen deaths in April
Without adequate nutrition, children's health and development are severely compromised
The economic impact extends beyond refugees to local businesses that previously served the camp community
The situation represents a significant withdrawal of U.S. foreign aid, which was previously the world's largest donor
Without new funding by August, only the "most extremely vulnerable" refugees will receive any assistance

What's next

WFP hopes to receive the next donation of rice by August
If WFP doesn't receive additional funding before August, officials warn that only a fraction of refugees—specifically the most extremely vulnerable—will receive any assistance
Current supplies of fortified peanut paste for malnourished children are expected to last only until August
No explicit next steps stated in the article beyond these timeframe-specific concerns

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint