Shelter and warm clothes for El Niño affected people

Jeannette, 60, can now sleep away from cold in her own tent room. World Vision has recently distributed kits to people of Nyaruhongoka, in southwestern Burundi, whose houses, properties and farms were destroyed by recent heavy rains. Jeannette’s house was affected as the Nyaruhongoka River overflowed and ruined all things in its path. Families with no shelter are now staying in a hosting camp and more than 30,000 people are affected all over the country.

“I and my grandchild are protected from rains, cold, and sun.” she says. Jeannette smiles standing in a one room tent donated by World Vision.

When World Vision intervened, each family got a kit that included a one room tent, a blanket, a Jerri can, mats, cloths for women, a pan, a cup, spoons and a sun lamp. Toolkit distributed will help enhance sanitation in the camp; people came there empty handed. Belongings were swept away by flooding and lack of sanitation tools makes them fear eruption of infectious diseases like cholera.

The fields were ruined too, which paves a way to famine in a community where levels of hunger are already very high.

More than a half of under-five Burundi children are affected by malnutrition. Burundi disaster management platform including World Vision is supporting the affected people with urgent needs, like water, shelter and food.

Though people are thankful, they request for more support from the government. A single raincloud’s appearance in the sky bodes badly for all of them in the camp. Protection of the environment would be the lasting solution to their issues; they say. Jeannette says that she is already tired with living in a hosting camp and wishes to see her house built so that she can go back home for the sake of her grandchild.