THE UNITED NATIONS WORLD FOOD

Published purpose

October 9, 2009 - Typhoon Ketsana hit the Philippines on September 26, 2009 bringing massive destruction and causing floods in Manila and other areas of the northern Philippines before making landfall in Vietnam. An estimated 3 million people have been affected by the storm, and more than 9,000 homes have either been destroyed or damaged. Emergency needs of those affected include food assistance, clean water, proper sanitation facilities, basic health services, and basic household items. Efforts to provide emergency humanitarian assistance, particularly in remote areas to populations in need are being hampered by limited road access and disrupted communications infrastructure. CIDA support contributes to the United Nation's World Food Programme (WFP) fulfilling its mandate of helping to address hunger and malnutrition. Specifically, this grant helps WFP to provide logistical support to ensure the uninterrupted supply of relief items to the most affected populations. Activities include providing information management, customs facilitation, mapping services, and transport logistics services; positioning emergency operations support equipment; and providing humanitarian air transport to support needs assessments and to deliver cargo to areas with limited road access. WFP's logistics leadership is expected to help ensure a coordinated logistics response that allows the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance to those most vulnerable.