Frw10 million for flood victims

AID - World Vision, a Christian NGO, yesterday offered food items worth Frw10 million to Bigogwe and Kanzenze Sectors in Western Province that were devastated by the recent floods.

Friday, September 28, 2007
A camp of flood victims in Bigogwe, Nyabihu District. (Photo/G. Barya )

AID - World Vision, a Christian NGO, yesterday offered food items worth Frw10 million to Bigogwe and Kanzenze Sectors in Western Province that were devastated by the recent floods.

Heavy rains on September 12 caused loss of lives with floods sweeping away scores of houses and other property, and drove thousands into camps in the two sectors of Nyabihu district.

In a press statement released yesterday, World Vision said it will channel the assistance to the flood victims in the form of nutritional Sosoma flour (10,000 kg), sugar (5,000 kg) and clothing (80 cartons) to 1700 children, who are in dire need of relief supplies.

The organisation will also help strengthen the affected communities to mitigate the effects of flooding and prepare them better for future disasters.

The assistance comes after the mayor of Nyabihu District, Charles Ngirabatware, appealed to the government and humanitarian agencies to form a taskforce to tackle the increasing environmental problems which could have caused the heavy rains.

Ngirabatware believes the deforestation of Gishwati forest is largely to blame for the latest disaster in area.

Government offered iron sheets for the displaced families while the Red Cross, got involved in supplying relief items to the affected people.

Last year, World Vision provided food to returnees from Tanzania.
Ends