GLIDE n=B0 FL-2009-000172-BFA
Period covered by this Ops Update: From 08 January to 17 February, 2010.
Appeal target (current): This revised Emergency Appeal now seeks CHF 3,500,000 (USD 3.3m or EUR 2.3m) in cash, kind, or services to assist 8,000 families for 6 months. The operation will be extended by one month, to be completed by the end of March, 2010. A Final Report will be made available by June, 2010 (three months after the end of the operation).
The budget has been increased to include the recovery phase of reconstruction in line with the latest government strategy in relocating most of the flood victims to permanent green land sites on the outskirts of Ouagadougou City where most of the infrastructure is to be provided.
Appeal coverage: 81%
Appeal history:
- This Preliminary Emergency Appeal was initially launched on 9 September, 2009 for CHF 2,765,053 million for 6 months to assist 8,000 families.
- Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF): CHF 200,000 was allocated on a regional basis from the Federation's DREF to support the National Society to respond.
- Three Operations Updates were issued: the first on 21 September 2009, the second on 28 September 2009 and the third on 17 January 2010. These Ops updates focused on the findings of Field Assessment and Coordination Team (FACT) and Emergency Response Units (ERUs).
Summary: Unprecedented rainfall of 1 September, 2009 in Ouagadougou left more than 150,000 people affected with nearly two thirds of them made homeless. Initially, the affected people sought temporary shelter in schools and public sites. The Burkinabe Red Cross Society (BRCS) immediately responded by mobilising its volunteers from the initial assessment phase all through to the implementation of the relief operation. After the completion of the assessment phase and the revision of the initial plan of action, the BRCS, with the support of the International Federation which includes both FACT and ERU carried out the relief phase 1 and 2 of its plan of action. These phases consisted in distributing non-food items (NFIs), installing sanitation facilities and supporting the relocation of beneficiaries in the temporary shelters on sites provided by the government.
The operation also reinforced the water distribution network and the promotion of hygiene activities. The implementation over the reporting period faced delays due to changes in the government's strategy and the BRCS had to adjust to this due to its auxiliary role. There has been steady progress in terms of results despite some confusion at the early stages among agencies due not only to the complexity of the disaster affecting an urban setting, but also the local authorities taking the lead and not allowing independent actions.
During the emergency phase, the BRCS, the International Federation and Movement partners including ICRC distributed basic NFIs consisting of kitchen sets, jerry cans, blankets, hygiene kits, sleeping mats, soap and mosquito nets to some 3,900 families. Continuous hygiene promotion and provision of sanitation facilities in the alternative sites (over 100 rapid latrines) enabled to contain waterborne diseases with no related outbreak or epidemics. Following the emergency phase which ended in November, the operation is now focused on the recovery phase. The government has opted for a strategy which consists of transferring the affected people from the temporary sites to more permanent sites to vacate schools for students and public buildings. These sites had been closed in mid October and approximately 4,500 families moved to the alternative sites and are housed in tents or temporary shelters. Currently these sites are also to be evacuated. According to government statistics 24,000 affected families of which 14,000 coming from flood risk zones need to move to relocation sites in Yagma and Bassinko area in the outskirts of Ouagadougou. The remaining 10,000 have rebuilt on their former property.
Priority is given to the 4,500 families to locate in these identified sites and the operation is expected to last for three weeks. After the registration, the families will receive official papers for the plot; direct distribution of materials; 1.5 tons of cement and corrugated iron sheets; and 50,000 CFA in cash. This assistance will also be extended to those affected and living with host families. The transfer and installation of affected people on the new sites require access to water for construction and human consumption therefore there is the need to drill boreholes for water supply in the relocation site. The increased budget takes into account the necessary work to cover the flood affected populations' need for potable water and other inputs to make the relocation sites ready to welcome beneficiaries. The two other groups of beneficiaries consist of affected families that own their land and that have to reconstruct in their former plots, but lack the means; and the others that are former tenants who must rent houses again and have temporarily lost their livelihood activities. For this second category, the government has initiated a distribution of cash grants representing at least two months of rent to the most vulnerable households. In addition to the support provided by the International Federation and the ICRC, the operation has received support from the British, Canadian, Japanese, Monaco, Netherlands, Spanish, Swedish, Swiss, Belgian and the Benelux Red Cross societies as well as the German embassy and cooperation, French embassy, ECHO and OPEC funds. There have also been private initiatives such as that of staff members of the WHO in Geneva as well as US based Burkina Faso gentleman that cycled to raise funds.