Donation of much-needed aid for malnourished kids

Earlier this week, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with the health ministry and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), delivered 14 tonnes of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) to malnourished children under five in the ||Karas Region. This initiative is supported by Chevron Namibia’s N$6.7 million commitment to water and food aid, aimed at combatting severe malnutrition in the region.

RUTF, a specially designed food supplement, helps children recover from acute malnutrition and is distributed through health facilities. According to a statement by USAID, citizens in the region expressed gratitude for the intervention.

"Namibia’s ||Karas Region is predominantly semi-arid and dry, but this year the drought was so bad that it resulted in a substantial drop in production as well as the income from farm labour, which so many people depend on," the statement read.

"Lack of food and income has eroded household food security, leading over time to severe health consequences, including malnutrition in both adults and children. According to the World Food Programme (WFP) global hunger index, 24% of Namibian children under the age of five are stunted, and six percent are experiencing wasting," USAID said on Monday.