Food Aid Provides Lifeline, Long-Term Solutions Still Needed

Grace fled her village when opposing parties to the conflict turned it into a battlefield in 2017. Although peace has relatively returned, making a living or returning to the community remains a challenge. Grace goes home regularly with a monthly food ration from Caritas Kumba, shouting, “I thank wuna plenty” in pidgin English, an expression of gratitude for the food assistance. “We lost our farms and livelihoods when we fled from the war. Now we are trying to start all over again, but it is not easy,” she says.

Grace stands among a cohort exceeding 35,000 individuals who benefited from food assistance by Caritas Kumba either in Cash or in-kind. Collaborating with the World Food Programme, Caritas has executed comprehensive food distribution and cash-driven relief initiatives, extending assistance to displaced and vulnerable persons in Kumba 1, 2, and 3 as well as Mbonge and Konye subdivisions. Emile Suiru, Caritas Kumba’s Food Security Coordinator, reveals, “The infusion of food assistance and monetary relief has acted as a catalyst in rejuvenating economic activity and fortifying families, especially those solely reliant on external assistance”. “A substantial number of beneficiaries channel the monetary resources from our assistance into petty businesses or agricultural pursuits, fostering self-sufficiency,” adds Suiru.

Interviews with project beneficiairies validate this impact; Mary, a petty trader, used her 25,000 XCFA monthly cash relief to reopen her food business, which she abandoned when she left her village Kwakwa in 2018. Now settled in Kumba, she makes some profits, which she uses to support her family. “The money is small, but it helped me restart my business. I can now provide for myself once more thanks to the assistance,” Mary says triumphantly.

Despite such successes recorded across the board, substantial needs still endure as many returnees face immense hardship necessitating livelihood assistance. Furthermore, those who were running small ventures or farms lack inputs and tools to make them sustainable and result to often consume their capital leading to a cycle of poverty and food insecurity. “Our major shortage is farming equipment and seeds to grow adequate food,” a community member highlights. “If Caritas Kumba can train and equip us, we can feed ourselves again and be less dependent on the assistance as we know it will soon end.”

Sharing in the community opinion, Suiru advocates for investments in climate-resilient agriculture and livestock rearing for people in need to arrest the food crisis over time. “Our relief efforts remain just a Band-Aid solution. Irrespective of the crisis, we must tackle the root causes of hunger through long-term, community-driven projects that create lasting change,” he reiterates.

As the impact of the crisis reveals itself to both internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees, the voices from the communities convey an urgent appeal; will sufficient resources flow in to empower communities to bridge the food security gap themselves? The optimistic response sadly leans towards an affirmative. However, for now, the tireless efforts of humanitarians like Caritas Kumba and its partners like WFP continue bringing vital lifelines of hope to affected population.