Period covered by this update: 14 January to 31 March, 2011
Summary: CHF 96,960 was allocated from the Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the Gabonese Red Cross Society (GRCS) in delivering immediate assistance to some 203 families, i.e. 1,015 beneficiaries. Un-earmarked funds to repay DREF are encouraged.
In early January 2011, the localities of Tchibanga, Franceville, Mimongo and Dzenzele experienced serious torrential rains and violent wind, affecting 353 families, i.e. 1,765 people and killing 1.
Volunteers of the Gabonese Red Cross conducted an emergency assessment of the situation and identified 203 vulnerable families, i.e. 1,015 people, who had lost their homes and property and were living without shelter even as it continued to rain.
Thanks to the DREF allocation, the GRCS, supported by IFRC, has distributed non-food items to the 203 families (80 families in Tchibanga, 22 in Franceville, 45 in Dzenzele and 56 in Mimongo) and assisted them in rebuilding or rehabilitating their houses. Red Cross volunteers also distributed treated bednets, carried out sanitation activities in the affected localities and raised awareness about hygiene promotion.
The major donors and partners of DREF include the Australian, American and Belgian governments, the Austrian Red Cross, the Canadian Red Cross and government, Danish Red Cross and government, the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO), the Irish and the Italian governments, the Japanese Red Cross Society, the Luxembourg government, the Monaco Red Cross and government, the Netherlands Red Cross and government, the Norwegian Red Cross and government, the Spanish Government, the Swedish Red Cross and government, the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), the Medtronic and Z Zurich Foundations, and other corporate and private donors. The IFRC, on behalf of the National Society, would like to extend thanks to all for their generous contributions.
Details of all contributions to the DREF for 2010 can be found on: http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/Active/MAA00010_2010.pdf and for 2011 on: http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/Active/MAA00010_2011.pdf
All operations-related appeals, reports, updates and information are available on the Appeals, plans and updates section of the web site: http://www.ifrc.org/en/publications-and-reports/appeals/