As 2026 begins, sharp cuts in humanitarian assistance are leaving deep and sometimes irreversible impacts on the world’s most vulnerable communities. The World Food Programme (WFP) posed a question to its country directors in emergency hotspots: what if funding were sufficient to not only save lives but transform them?
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, nearly 10 million people face crisis-level hunger, including three million in emergency conditions, particularly in the conflict-affected east. Repeated displacement has stripped families of homes, livelihoods, and hope, while malnutrition continues to rise. With full funding, WFP could shift from crisis response to early recovery, opening access to isolated communities, scaling market-based assistance such as electronic food vouchers, and expanding school feeding programs. Adequate resources would allow investment in local farmers, milling, and transport infrastructure, turning emergency aid into engines of recovery and empowering communities to rebuild trust, livelihoods, and resilience.
Cynthia Jones, WFP Acting Country Director in DRC, emphasizes that peace and security are inseparable from food security. With sufficient funds, WFP could strengthen nutrition screening, mother-child assistance, and treatment programs, ensuring aid reaches those most at risk. The ultimate goal is to move beyond relief and enable vulnerable communities to become drivers of change, providing families not just with survival but with the tools to thrive.
In Afghanistan, one in three people faces hunger, with remote communities cut off by snow, drought, and conflict. WFP’s food and nutrition support is a lifeline, preventing child malnutrition and ensuring families survive harsh winters. Zubaida, a mother in Ishkashim, credits WFP’s intervention with saving her malnourished daughter. Beyond immediate relief, long-term investments in livelihoods, community assets, and infrastructure are essential for sustainable recovery.
Examples in Afghanistan illustrate the transformative power of well-funded interventions. A 10-kilometer road built by WFP in Nuristan Province has connected a remote community to markets, while an irrigation canal in Kohna Qishlaq village has enabled farmers to diversify crops, increase income, and improve nutrition for their families. These investments show that funding WFP operations delivers more than hope; it provides communities with the means to survive, rebuild, and thrive despite ongoing crises.
Across both countries, WFP demonstrates that sufficient funding can turn emergency responses into lasting solutions. By empowering communities, supporting local markets, and investing in livelihoods and infrastructure, humanitarian aid can move beyond saving lives to transforming them, creating a foundation for stability, resilience, and a better future.
