The Ministry in charge of Emergency Management has launched a $1 million project aimed to support residents affected by disasters. The project dubbed “Provision of Emergency Shelter and Agriculture Support to Communities Affected by Floods and Landslides in Rwanda” will support those affected in the districts of Nyabihu , Ngorororero and Gakenke according to the ministry’s announcement. The intervention for the affected has emerged from after the contribution of $1 million to the Government of Rwanda by the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (UNCERF) that supports rapid humanitarian response for people affected by natural disasters & armed conflict. “The sectors of health, agriculture, housing and shelter, infrastructure and environment were mostly affected as highlighted by data collected from all 30 districts where there were 317 death, 8,143 houses partially or fully destroyed and 9,383 hectares of crops damaged, among others,” report by the ministry indicates. The three districts were mostly affected by floods and landslides since Since September 2019 to May 2020 when Rwanda experienced heavy rains that resulted in landslides and floods in several districts causing damages and losses including loss of lives, it shows. In April, 2020, Rice farmers in Gakenke District are counting massive losses after flood water from River Mukungwa submerged their farms. In May, the same district lost 23 people due to disasters including a family of eight while 577 houses were brought down by the heavy rains in one day. The same month, heavy rains left 1977 families homeless in Ngororero District while 1,413 houses were destroyed in Nyabihu District as 20 people lost their lives. Restoring crop production The ministry of emergency says the project intends to support affected households to restore crop production for food and nutrition security. A total of 2,900 households corresponding to 13,651 individuals will be targeted with agriculture tools such as hoes, shovels, pickaxes and watering cans and improved seeds at the budget of $200,000. Meanwhile, a total number of 1,765 households, corresponding to 7,027 individuals will be supported through the provision of iron sheets, nails, cement, and galvanized wire at a tune of $800,000. The project will be implemented in six months. As the heavy rain season approaches, Olivier Kayumba, the Permanent Secretary at the ministry of emergency, urged residents to minimize disaster induced losses. “Residents should play a role in preventing disasters rather than waiting for the effects. They can do it for example by fastening the roofs of the houses so that they are not easily blown away by wind,” he said. However, he said once a resident is affected by disasters, they will get basic materials such as food and construction materials for rehabilitating damaged houses. He urged residents to relocate from high risk zones.
