WFP aims to eradicate global hunger and poverty. As the food aid arm of the UN, WFP uses its food to meet emergency needs and to support socioeconomic development

HIV-related Mission

Improving a family’s food security reduces its vulnerability to HIV infection and its impact. The World Food Programme (WFP) is committed to incorporate HIV and AIDS concerns into all its programming tools and categories, using food insecurity as an entry point for crucial food assistance interventions in relief, recovery and development operations.

In the Eastern and Southern Africa regions, WFP is working on reducing the problems faced by the triple threat of HIV, food insecurity and weakened capacity of governments. This is central with regard to the importance of food and nutrition security in the fight against declining conditions of living of the poor. WFP works with partner organisations in the dissemination of prevention messages to food assistance beneficiaries as well as to critical actors within the transport and food handling sector. WFP provides food assistance in support of tuberculosis programmes, antiretroviral therapy, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, home-based care and a wide range of activities providing care and protection to orphans and vulnerable children. Integration of HIV activities into education and asset creation programmes contributes to safeguarding livelihood opportunities for affected households and communities.

At a macro level WFP provides assistance to governments in the development of national food and nutrition support programmes in context of HIV and of submissions to international funding sources.

Key Roles of the Regional Bureaus

The Regional Bureaus situated in Kampala and Johannesburg provide operational support in the design and implementation of appropriate food assistance programmes in eastern and southern Africa. They extend technical support to WFP's programmes in the countries in close collaboration with WFP’s HIV and AIDS Unit. The Regional Bureaus:

• Liaise with strategic partners in the respective regions, including individual and collective government initiatives
• Undertake advocacy and resource mobilisation for country-based programmes
• Build the capacity of Country Office and Regional Bureau staff on HIV programming and addressing HIV in the workplace
• Strengthen partnerships and coordination for more effective programming

Key Roles of WFP within the Regional HIV and AIDS Team – RHAT

As a member of the AIDS Treatment and Care and Impact mitigation and Orphans and Vulnerable Children cluster WFP contributes to the UN support to country efforts to scale up national programmes through advocating for policies and practices that promote food and nutrition security

Regional Offices and Contacts

Regional Bureau for East and Central Africa

Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

Arthur Holdbrook
Head of Office
Clement Hill Road, Plot 16/17A
PO Box 7471
Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256 312 242 000
Fax: +256 312 242 245

Regional Bureau for Southern Africa

Angola, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Amir Abdulla
Regional Director
2nd floor Merafe House, 11 Naivasha Road
Private Bag X44, Sunninghill 2157
Johannesburg, South Africa
Tel: +27 11 517 1603
Fax: +27 11 517 1642
amir.abdulla@wfp.org

Sonsoles Ruedas
Regional Programme Advisor
2nd floor Merafe House, 11 Naivasha Road
Private Bag X44, Sunninghill 2157
Johannesburg, South Africa
Tel: +27 11 517 1616
Fax: +27 11 517 1642
Sonsoles.Reudas@wfp.org

References

• Food Security, Food Aid and HIV/AIDS: WFP Guidance Note, WFP 2001
• Programming in the Era of AIDS – WFP’s Response to HIV/AIDS, WFP 2003
• The First Line of Defence, WFP 2003
• HIV/AIDS & Children, WFP 2003
• Widening the Window of Hope, WFP 2003
• HIV/AIDS Factsheets, WFP 2005
• Update on WFP’s Response to HIV/AIDS, WFP 2004
• Social Protection and Human Security for Chronically Food Insecure Populations in Countries with a High Prevalence of HIV and AIDS: Southern Africa Regional Programme Policy Guidance, WFP 2007

Websites

www.wfp.org