Flood victims in Burkina Faso continue to receive assistance as the Burkinabe government announces time frame to move families out of camps
In less than a 12 hour period on September 1, 2009, over 10.5 inches of rain poured down on Burkina Faso, displacing over 150,000 people. Dangerous floods collapsed homes and farms, devastated crops, and affected thousands of people.
Responding to the needs of flood victims
Plan's initial response focused on meeting the immediate needs of flood displaced and affected families, including distributing food and relief commodities such as water tanks, mosquito nets, bedding, kitchen sets, hygiene items, and clean-up tools. In the last few weeks we've also supported efforts to provide camp inhabitants with measles vaccinations and basic health care.
With the support of sponsors and donors, we've also been able to provide relief and rehabilitation efforts that ensure girls and boys are protected and receiving the care and emergency supplies they need:
- School rehabilitation: We've evaluated a total of 50 schools damaged by rains and flood and have made plans to rehabilitate 35 based on the outcomes of the evaluation. Construction and rehabilitation activities will start on 20th October in Ouagadougou and continue afterward in the program areas of Kourritenga and Namentenga.
- Provision of psychosocial support: So far, we've provided psychosocial support in four sites, with plans to expand to all sites in the coming few weeks. Seven listening points have been established for children and adults in need of care and counseling. We'll also be distributing toys to children in camps.
- Water and sanitation provision: In addition to providing 12 long lasting bathrooms and 12 latrines and hand washing stations to four camps, we're also working alongside Oxfam and Catholic Relief Services to raise awareness on hygiene and sanitation.
- Camp security and management: We've provided 124 fire extinguishers to the Mayor's office to ensure prevention of fires in the camps. We were also asked by the disaster management authorities to write Terms of Reference for the management of camps to guide the work of all organizations and individuals intervening at the camp sites.
Last week the Burkinabe government announced its intention to close all temporary shelters by November 30th. Flood victims previously inhabiting areas of land prone to flooding are to be allocated land in more secure areas of the city; those possessing land in non-flood prone areas would be supported with construction materials to help them re-build their homes.
