Contact: Christine Head, World Vision Relief Communications Manager, +254 0735-209-181

SOMALIA, Nov. 29 /Standard Newswire/ -- World Vision is taking charters into Somalia this week, hoping to reach out to nearly 120,000 people who have been affected by the floods. Supplies like plastic sheeting, blankets, jerry cans, bed sheets, soap, chlorine tablets and gunny bags will be taken.

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme has donated three boats that will be used to get the goods to affected families who cannot be reached by road. Another team of five World Vision staff is also expected to go into the region this week to facilitate this intervention as well assist with ongoing food distributions.

The food distributions continue in Waajid District with World Vision Somalia commodities and health teams facilitating distributions of family rations. Cereals, pulses, vegetable oil and corn soya blend (CSB) comprise the food being distributed to targeted households.

A total of 916 beneficiaries have received a total of 116.58 Metric Tonnes in Waajid District, Bay/Bakool region. This consisted of 289 lactating mothers and 657 children who are less than five years of age. Plans are underway to have similar distributions conducted in Tiyeglow district in the coming week. "School feeding is also set to begin soon in nine schools of Waajid," confirmed World Vision Somalia Commodities Officer, Ann Nyokabi.

"So far the distribution has been possible but the heavy rains have continued to be a challenge rendering roads impassible and delaying distributions in some areas," said Boniface Mungai, Commodities Officer.

Meanwhile, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) – SOMALIA and World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed the presence of cholera in Jilib and Marare. WHO (which has also moved some cholera supplies to the area through Muslim Aid–UK), UNICEF and other partners also believe there are adequate supplies to respond in case of a larger outbreak.

It is currently estimated that in the Shabelle riverine area, 190,000 people have so far been displaced (Hiran:94,000; Middle Shabelle: 66,000; Lower Shabelle: 27,000), figures that already slightly exceed the five-year flood return cycle figures of 175,000.

A five-hour radio programme on Nov. 21, organized by HornAfrik and SIMAD has raised $300,000 for flood affected people through phone calls from the diaspora and Somalis in the country, including children. HornAfrik has been supported by UNDP to expand its coverage through satellite both to the diaspora and throughout Somalia.

World Vision has operated in Somalia since September 1992. It has interventions in health, education, advocacy, food security, water and sanitation as well as emergency response.

World Vision is committed to continuing the provision of much-needed humanitarian services for the sake of all children in Somalia. World Vision focuses on helping children and families in need, regardless of their religious or political affiliations.

For more information about World Vision's relief interventions in Somalia, please contact Christine Head, World Vision Relief Communications Manager at +254 0735-209-181.