Funding appeals and humanitarian action updates...

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Funding appeals and humanitarian action updates...

Over one million people are in risk of food insecurity and floods up until the next harvest in April 2008 and consequently women and children under five will become more exposed to malnutrition and infections as well as to abuse and exploitation. Underlying a situation of food shortage are two mutually reinforcing causes of insecurity, namely a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS and chronic poverty, which need to be addressed in tandem with food aid.

Approximately 200,000 women and children under five will be in need of humanitarian assistance in 2008. Recent weather forecasts by the Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Global Forecasting Centre for Southern Africa all indicate an enhanced likelihood of flooding in Malawi up until March 2008. Floods have already displaced many in neighboring Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia and the main commercial corridor from central Mozambique to landlocked Malawi has been cut and is causing delays in the transportation of food and fuel destined to Malawi, resulting in shortage of petrol. Cholera remains a major threat in rural and peri-urban areas in Malawi with recurrent outbreaks during the rainy season from November to April and is particularly a major risk factor in flood situations because of the possible and immediate break down of water and sanitation facilities. UNICEF is requesting US$ 2,487,750 to respond to the needs of children and women.


The humanitarian crisis in Malawi has a particularly serious impact on children and women, who are most vulnerable to food insecurity. More than one million children under the age of five, pregnant and lactating women are in need of humanitarian assistance. In November 2005, the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) revised the initial number of people in need of food assistance until end of March 2006 to include some 4.9 million; an increase of some 700,000 people compared to the original estimates of 4.2 million in June 2005. The combination of HIV/AIDS, severe shortage of quality health staff and food insecurity has resulted in high mortality rates among children in Nutrition Rehabilitation Units.
UNICEF is requesting an additional US$ 4.5 million to respond to the urgent needs of children and women.


Maize prices are increasing beyond the reach of many. The high cost of fuel and dwindling Government stocks have accelerated the onset of the hungry season by up to three months. Admissions of severely malnourished children to Nutrition Rehabilitation Units (NRUs), already 30 percent higher than this time last year, are expected to triple the coming months. As the number of moderately malnourished children rises sharply, supplementary feeding programmes must be rapidly scaled up to prevent children becoming severely malnourished. Faced with this rapidly deteriorating situation, UNICEF requires US$ 13 million to support life saving interventions, in particular in the area of nutrition.