The European Commission has provided EUR 200 000 (Approx. RWF 242,000,000) in emergency humanitarian funding to assist the most vulnerable families affected by floods and landslides in the Western, Northern and Southern provinces of Rwanda in early May 2023.
From 1 to 3 May, some 60,000 people, mostly women and children, were affected by torrential downpours resulting in several landslides. The government registered 131 killed, 77 injured and 5 missing. The Rwanda Red Cross Society deployed initial resources in coordination with movement partners and Government and launched a swift response in the hardest-hit districts, to address immediate needs and mitigate further impact, especially considering the expected continuation of the rainfall.
The EU funds will support the Rwandan Red Cross Society (RRCS) in responding to the needs of the displaced households, including through WASH, health, livelihood and shelter assistance. Modalities to combine cash and in-kind items will support early recovery of communities and ensure the dignity of beneficiaries. There will be an initial distribution of non-food items (NFIs) to 2,200 households, who will receive vital items such as jerry cans, kitchen sets, blankets, and plastic mats, to improve their living conditions in the aftermath of the disaster.
Additional cash assistance will be provided to 1,500 households to address their immediate food needs. Some 2,200 households will also receive WASH kits with soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste and pads. 30 women associations will be supported with cash-for-work, indirectly benefiting 1,550 households and giving a push to the local economy. To address the psychological impact of the disaster, trained volunteers will offer support to the victims, assisting them in coping with the trauma they have experienced.
This project will run for four months, until late September 2023, and some 50,000 people will be reached with the direct assistance planned in the affected regions.
The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).