Funding Cuts Raise Malnutrition Concerns Among Refugee Children

Kirehe, 12 August 2026 - Refugee families in Rwanda’s Mahama camp are facing growing difficulties providing adequate nutrition for their children following reductions in humanitarian funding. Mothers say rising living costs and lower cash assistance have made it increasingly difficult to maintain sufficient diets, with some breastfeeding children showing signs of weight loss and malnutrition.

During the launch of World Breastfeeding Week at the camp on 11 August, refugees described how their household assistance has declined while the cost of food has increased. Muhoza Jacqueline said her family previously received Rwf10,000 per person, but now struggles to afford nutritious food. She said her eight-month-old child, who weighed 4.9 kilograms at birth, now weighs about seven kilograms. Limited supplies of milk provided through humanitarian assistance have offered only partial relief.

Nyirangishuke Claudette, a mother of six, said her household allowance fell from Rwf8,600 to Rwf6,300 per person. She said the reduction has affected her children’s nutrition, with some beginning to lose weight.

Medical officials at Mahama said the funding reductions have made it harder for vulnerable families to access adequate food. In response, assistance providers, working with the Rwandan government, have begun distributing milk and semolina to affected families, particularly those with young children.

Kirehe District authorities said they are working with humanitarian agencies to address malnutrition while reducing refugees’ dependence on aid. Vulnerable families are being supported with food assistance and opportunities to obtain livestock, cultivate land and develop income-generating skills.

Mahama camp hosts about 71,503 refugees, with more than 45% under the age of 18. Most residents are refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi.