On November 3rd, WFP air support staff in Entebbe, Uganda, welcomed a UPS-donated flight carrying 92mt of High Energy Biscuits (HEBs). These will go to assist vulnerable populations uprooted by conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
This contribution comes at a very valuable time given the recent uprising and conflict in DRC, where WFP is assisting around 81,000 displaced persons within and around the city of Goma. It is possible that as many as 140,000 people will require WFP’s assistance in Goma alone.
Matching the expertise and capacities of commercial logistics group UPS with WFP’s emergency response plan in the country, this airlift transported vital emergency relief supplies, complementing WFP’s current efforts in DRC.
“The spiral of violence in North Kivu has cut many people off from their regular food supplies and they need emergency assistance to survive. Therefore, this airlift arrives at an important time. As one of WFP’s valued partners, especially for Logistics, we highly appreciate this contribution,” says Martin Ohlsen, WFP Country Director, DRC.
Crossing western Uganda from Entebbe and making their way into eastern DRC, the biscuits will go by road, where they will be dispatched to six WFP offices and support as many as 55,000 beneficiaries with five-day rations.
High Energy Biscuits are one of WFP’s many tools for “first response” in emergencies. They contain vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients along with a dose of energy, which helps give beneficiaries the strength they need to steer through the crisis. Light, nutritious and easy to transport, WFP often distributes these fortified biscuits in the early days of an emergency.
Because they require no cooking, they provide an immediate solution to emergency response efforts. They also are a nutritious complement when coupled with other food rations.