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Release date
September 08, 2009
Contact
Lane Hartill
Regional Information Officer
West Africa (Dakar, Senegal)
011-221-77-529-8745

Catholic Relief Services to Assist Flood Victims in Burkina Faso

September 08, 2009, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso —

Catholic Relief Services has committed $250,000 for flood victims in Burkina Faso, helping thousands left homeless by torrential rains find food and shelter.

Over 100,000 people were driven from their homes in Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou on September 1 when more than 10 inches of rain fell in a 12-hour period. Many have found shelter with friends and family but the Red Cross estimates more than 41,000 are still homeless. The displaced have found shelter at schools, churches and mosques.

A visit to the Baskuy section of the city revealed the extent of the damage. At the Nimnin primary school, where 1,400 people are staying, classrooms are stacked to the ceilings with goods salvaged from collapsed houses. Women, children and the elderly sleep in classrooms while men sleep outside in the school courtyard or stay next to their damaged homes to prevent looting.

"Many of the families who lost everything were farmers who grew vegetables along the banks of the canals and dikes in Ouagadougou," says CRS Burkina Faso Country Representative Debbie Shomberg. "They not only lost their homes and belongings, but also their livelihoods."

CRS will provide $50 vouchers to 3,000 households with priority given to those headed by women. The vouchers will enable residents to buy construction materials and other items needed to reconstruct their homes.

CRS also plans to distribute food to more than 15,000 displaced people. The bulgur, lentils and oil were provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development. CRS will provide Catholic parishes housing the displaced with money for cooking fuel and hot meals.

A major concern is the water and sanitation facilities at the temporary shelter sites. CRS is providing assistance that includes hygiene promotion, rehabilitation and construction of toilets and washing areas, and the management of water facilities. In addition, CRS will distribute 30 large water storage tanks to sites around the city.

"Many of the sites for displaced people are crowded and waste isn't properly disposed of," says Jean Philippe Debus, CRS' regional technical advisor for water and sanitation. "If nobody does anything, the risk remains high for an outbreak of diarrheal diseases."

How to Help:

Donate via phone: 1-877-HELP-CRS

Donate online: www.crs.org

Write a check: Catholic Relief Services

P.O. Box 17090

Baltimore, Maryland 21203-7090

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Catholic Relief Services is the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency provides assistance to people in more than 100 countries and territories based on need, regardless of race, nationality or creed. For more information, please visit www.crs.org or www.crsespanol.org.