This report covers the period 01/01/2009 to 30/06/2009
In brief
Programme purpose: The Red Cross societies of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda make up the membership of the East Africa Sub Zone. The five countries share borders and are members of the East Africa Community. These National Societies are all involved in a bilateral regional programme, "The Lake Victoria Programme," supported by the Swedish Red Cross. These countries have had similar humanitarian challenges resulting from internal conflicts, population movements, devastating droughts and floods as well as a myriad of health emergencies. Consequently, the programmes in the National Societies are designed to address the needs of the most vulnerable with the aim of alleviating suffering among all the targeted programme beneficiaries.
Through the 2009-2010 appeal, the National Societies are seeking international support to respond to humanitarian challenges faced by millions of people in East Africa. The humanitarian challenges range from natural disasters such as droughts, floods, landslides, earthquakes, food insecurity and public health emergencies. The National Societies are also seeking to strengthen their capacities to effectively and efficiently deliver quality services to the most vulnerable persons in their respective countries of operation as well as actively promote respect for diversity and human dignity, while reducing intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion in their programming
Programme summary: Funding for the National societies 2009-2010 appeal has been quite low with some of the programmes having received funding only at the beginning of the second quarter of 2009 and others having no funding. Those that have not received funding to date include the communications programmes in all 5 countries, Disaster Management programmes in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania as well as the Health and Care programmes in Rwanda and Uganda. Generally, Disaster Management programmes and response to health epidemics took prominence during this period. All the five National Societies continued to implement the bilaterally supported Lake Victoria Programme with technical support being coordinated from the East Africa sub-zone office.
Financial situation: The total 2009 budget is CHF 7215109 (USD 6,800,240 or EUR 4,754,757), of which 28 per cent covered. Expenditure overall was CHF 952,224.