Thanks to USAID support, IOM and UNICEF provide emergency aid to people affected by El Niño
With new funding of one million US dollars from USAID, through its Office for Humanitarian Assistance, UNICEF and IOM can continue to support the Government of Burundi in the sustainable socio-economic reintegration of disaster victims
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“This kit is a real godsend for me,” says a delighted Joselyne Hakizimana, one of more than 200 families in the commune of Bugarama, in Rumonge province, who have benefited from water, hygiene, and sanitation kits, as well as non-food items donated by UNICEF and IOM, thanks to funding from USAID, through its Office for Humanitarian Assistance.
Joselyne, like many of her friends, lost everything in the recent floods and landslides that affected several localities in Rumonge province.
On the morning of July 25, 2024, a delegation comprising the Governor of Rumonge province, the United States Ambassador to Burundi, and representatives of IOM and UNICEF, together with their teams, traveled to Bugarama. The aim of the visit was to meet and talk to the affected people, provide them with non-food items and water, hygiene, and sanitation kits, and also to officially launch the emergency aid project for people affected by the impact of El Niño in Burundi.
Through this project, which received 1 million USD in financing from USAID through its Office for Humanitarian Assistance, UNICEF and IOM will provide integrated emergency assistance in the province, covering basic needs such as housing, non-food items, access to drinking water, and sanitation. This assistance, which considers the needs identified as priorities by the communities, will focus on the areas of Magara, Kizuka, Minago, Kabezi, and Rumonge.
“This effort underscores our unwavering commitment to assist internally displaced persons and affected communities, ensuring that families can rebuild and recover with dignity,” said Lisa Peterson, United States Ambassador to Burundi.
On behalf of UNICEF and IOM, Emmanuella Muscara, IOM Representative, expressed her deep gratitude to USAID's Office for Humanitarian Assistance for its continued support and commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable. “With this project, we hope to continue supporting the Government of Burundi in implementing the National Strategy for the Sustainable Socio-Economic Reintegration of Disaster Victims in Burundi and the inclusion of the Batwa, in order to provide an integrated response to the devastating effects of climate change and the El Niño phenomenon in Burundi's Rumonge province,” she said.
Rumonge province is one of the areas hardest hit by the torrential rains, flooding, violent winds, and landslides caused by the El Niño phenomenon.
Since September 2023, Burundi has experienced heavy rainfall that has led to a rise in the water level of the Rusizi River and related basins, causing a significant increase in the level of Lake Tanganyika. More than 240,000 people, including over 127,000 children—55% of whom are women and girls—were directly affected by the destruction of their homes, livelihoods, and access to drinking water and sanitation.
This project will therefore make it possible to meet the urgent needs of these highly vulnerable people, who are exposed to a high risk of epidemics.
