WFP’s ShareTheMeal App now links donors with the people they’re helping

The World Food Programme has launched an innovative new feature to its app, ShareTheMeal, that will enable monthly donors to follow their donations and see exactly it is helping families in need.

The ShareTheMeal app will connect monthly donors with the members of the family they are supporting through personalised updates and exclusive stories through a new feature in the app called The Table.

Donors will be informed when a family has purchased food with their donations thanks to the WFP’s beneficiary data management platform, SCOPE.

Each month donors will be connected with a new family over The Table to learn how their donations and support are helping them.

Through the app donors will receive videos and stories from the families they have helped, the app will connect people with the most critical operations in Nigeria, South Sudan, Syria and Bangladesh.

WFP has been increasing the use of cash transfers when providing assistance to people in need, alongside food deliveries.

The ShareTheMeal app follows the trend of increasing cash transfer programmes as donors can directly support families with cash assistance.

In 2017 WFP provided $1.3 billion in cash transfers to those in need. The use of cash transfers allow WFP to reduce delivery costs, this means that for every dollar saved, an addition one dollar is spent helping people.

Kenn Crossley, Global Coordinator of Cash Transfers at WFP commented:

“The digital revolution is enabling WFP to create online platforms, such as SCOPE, which help us to enhance the use of digital identities for people in need, so that we can know and serve them better. Digital identities allow WFP to rapidly and effectively provide food and cash assistance, especially in emergency situations,”

“With the launch of The Table, we are leveraging this data to show donors their tangible impact.”

The new feature allows WFP to provide transparency of their operations, and responds to the demands of donors, particularly millennials, for efficiency.

WFP expect that The Table will appeal to younger generations who want to follow the impact of their donations and be connected to those they help.

Massimiliano Costa, Head of ShareTheMeal, added:

“We believe this generation is not only eager to change the world, but feels strongly about transparency and proven impact. By providing real-life data on the impact of a shared meal through The Table, we will demonstrate how – with a tap on the app – this generation can lead the way to a zero hunger future”

ShareTheMeal was launched two years ago and is a mobile first fundraising tool that allows people to provide food assistance through their phone for as little as $0.50. Since its launch over 1 million people have joined the digital community and users have provided over 21 million meals to hungry children around the world.

If you’d like to stay informed on the latest updates in aid and development, please sign up for the AIDF newsletter.

Image credit: World Food Programme