Period covered by this Final Report: 24 March 2006 to 25 September 2007
Appeal target (current): CHF 1,580,238 (USD 1,519,460 or EUR 978,476)
Final Appeal coverage: 50%; The attached financial report is interim because of unspent funds. Discussions with donors are ongoing and a final financial report will be posted once resolved.
Appeal history:
- Emergency Appeal was launched on 24 March 2006 for CHF 1,580,238 (USD 1,196,244 or EUR 1,009,737) in cash, kind, or services for 12 months to assist 22,000 beneficiaries and other vulnerable groups through targeted shelter, food, seed, and health as well as water and sanitation interventions.
- Operations update no. 2 extended the timeframe of the operation by six months until 25 September 2007 to enable the completion of planned activities.
- A total of CHF 90,525 was allocated from the Disaster Relief Emergency Funds (DREF).
Summary: The Burundi Red Cross (BRC) managed two transit sites for the returnees; one in the Northeast (Muyinga) and the other in the east (Cankuzo). At these transit camps, Burundi Red Cross provided information, first aid, material assistance and shelter to the vulnerable expelled returnees before being resettled in their places of origin and host communities. In the process, the National Society had an excellent opportunity to build new and strengthen existing partnerships with other humanitarian actors in the country, the Government of Burundi, donors and the targeted population. The National Society's capacity has been built and in particular its disaster management and response capacities strengthened immensely, notably in the provinces hosting the transit camps. Through the returnee operation, the BRC managed to assist a large number of the targeted 22,000 beneficiaries, including female-headed households and pregnant women through provision of basic health care, water and promotion of hygiene, support to livelihoods and construction of shelters for the vulnerable returnees.
The situation
The humanitarian assistance to returnees and vulnerable groups appeal for Burundi was launched to assist vulnerable persons returning to their places of origin and host communities. The operation also aimed to reinforce the capacity of the Burundi Red Cross staff and volunteers in their response to emergencies. The BRC first focused on returnees and later provided other essential basic services (water, latrines and health education) to the vulnerable host communities. The National Society also sensitized the host communities on the importance of integrating, accommodating and assisting the vulnerable returnees.
Coordination and partnerships
The visibility of the National Society has increased and this is evident in the reinforced partnerships with the Government, UN agencies such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), and UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food Agricultural Organization (FAO) during the operation. The Burundi Red Cross has further secured partnership agreements with the Ministry of National Solidarity, Human Rights and Gender and signed Cooperation Agreements with different partners such as the Government of Burundi, WFP and UNICEF.