Souq.com, one of the largest online shopping malls in the Middle East, has announced its partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), a United Nations organisation and the world's largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide.

Souq.com said it has launched an internet-based fundraising drive in all of its Middle East markets with an aim to support the WFP’s relief efforts on the ground in response to the increasingly desperate drought situation in the Horn of Africa and the conflict in Somalia.

The WFP is implementing food operations in five countries of the Horn of Africa affected by the current drought situation: Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and Uganda.

The UN body is rapidly moving life-saving food and nutritional products by sea, air and road to feed over 11.5 million people in each of these countries over the next six months.

The organisation’s feeding programme is mainly focused on malnourished kids, pregnant women, nursing mothers and refugees, identified as the most vulnerable communities.

Commenting on the tieup, Souq.com CEO Ronaldo Mouchawar said, “The current situation in Horn of Africa is a tragedy and Souq.com has made it its mission to help the WFP reach its aim by fostering a sense of responsibility towards humanity amongst visitors of our website and on our social media channels.'

'It is our duty to help in any which way we can, especially during the holy month of Ramadan but also beyond,' he noted.

Ashraf Hamouda, head of Partnership & Business Development of WFP for the Mena and the Gulf region, highlighted the strategic role of internet in mobilizing public support in such emergency context.

'WFP is at the forefront of the crisis hitting the Horn of Africa and is in urgent need of both public and private funding to scale up its operations in the region and reach out in time to millions of threatened lives,' he remarked.

'We are witnessing a global increase of online donations from generous individuals eager to support our relief operations. Their support is invaluable to us, knowing that only 50 US cents (1.8 dirham) can feed a mother and her child for one day in this part of the world,' Hamouda said.         

'Through an innovative partnership scheme, Souq.com is using its core expertise to help us mobilize the Gulf region’s online communities for this cause, offering us a precious chance to feed more people and save more lives,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service