The
theme of this year’s World Red Cross Red Crescent Day,
which takes place on 8 May, is “together for humanity”.
Celebrations will be held to mark the annual event and highlight
the importance of local, regional and global partnerships in
carrying out humanitarian work.
As part of a four-part series to mark 8 May, we look at how
strategic partnerships and alliances have enabled the International
Federation to respond effectively to alleviate the devastation
caused by flooding in Burundi.
In early 2007, torrential rains across much of Burundi led to
floods that claimed lives and caused widespread damage to homes,
social infrastructures and crops.
Hardest hit was Gatumba in Mutimbuzi commune, Bujumbura Rural
province. Here, homes and sanitation were completely or partially
destroyed. There was no safe drinking water and the population
were exposed to a high risk of epidemics.
The Bujumbura Rural province Red Cross branch immediately mobilized
its emergency response team. Volunteers quickly disinfected
the surviving houses and other flooded areas with chlorine to
prevent disease, while others assessed the damage and immediate
needs of residents.
They held hygiene and health education awareness sessions and
monitored the population for cases of cholera, referring any
people with symptoms to the nearest health centre.
A permanent partnership agreement between the Burundi Red Cross
and UNICEF also made a marked difference to the emergency operation.
Through it, UNICEF supplied non-food essentials, such as soap,
jerry cans, blankets and water purification tablets, for 1,187
families. That’s around 6,000 people. These were distributed
by Red Cross volunteers following established and efficient
distribution procedures.
With the immediate emergency phase now over, the Red Cross is
looking ahead to help affected residents return to a normal
way of life.
Gatumba is located near Lake Tanganyika and the area is therefore
at risk of future flooding. People have occupied land with no
prior planning. The infrastructures, including the now destroyed
basic sanitation facilities, are haphazard and vulnerable to
further natural emergencies.
Therefore, the National Society, with the support of the International
Federation, is arranging temporary shelter for residents, while
working to make villages in the area better prepared should
they be hit by flooding again.
Disaster preparedness and risk reduction are two of the key
components of the International Federation’s worldwide
efforts to make vulnerable communities stronger and safer.
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Volunteers
quickly disinfected the surviving houses and other flooded
areas with chlorine to prevent disease, while others assessed
the damage and immediate needs of residents. (p15704)
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Volunteers
held hygiene and health education awareness sessions and
monitored the population for cases of cholera, referring
any people with symptoms to the nearest health centre.
(p15703)
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