China donates $5 million in support of refugees

Liu Xianfa, the Chinese Ambassador to Kenya pours cereals ration in a beneficiary’s basket at the Kakuma Refugee Camp food distribution point during the Chinese food donation handover on June 7, 2017. [Photo by Edith Mutethya/China Daily]

In Kenya, refugees live in camps, and have restricted movement and are not allowed to work for pay outside of the camp – the reason why the refugees rely solely on WFP's food for survival.

Conte said the Chinese contribution enabled WFP to buy 9,000 metric tons of cereals, which is the main staple in the food basket.

Kenya is home to 600,000 registered refugees, with the majority fleeing conflicts in Somalia and South Sudan. Kenya has the second largest refugee population in Africa, after Ethiopia.

WFP has provided food assistance to the refugees living in the Kenyan camps since 1991, with most of the items provided being in-kind food.

Because of the assistance, refugees are able to collect a general food ration consisting of cereals, pulses, vegetable oil, salt, and nutrient-enriched flour made from soya and maize.