OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
1 - 7 October 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

ACTIVITIES AND UPDATES

Update on repatriation and refugees

Over the reporting week, UNHCR registered 1,153 Burundian refugees who 
arrived from Tanzania through the entry points of Kobero/Muyinga 
Province (423), Gisuru/Ruyigi Province (414) and Mabanda/Makamba 
Province (316). In 2007, a total of 27,508 Burundian refugees have 
returned to their home country from Tanzania and 239 from other 
countries. So far, 366,508 Burundians have returned under the UNHCR 
facilitated repatriation process which began in April 2002. No DRC 
refugees were transferred from Bujumbura Mairie to Musasa transit 
center/Ngozi Province.

Implementation of agricultural season 2008-A almost completed

Activities aimed at implementing the agricultural season 2008A will meet 
the completion deadline set for mid October. To date FAO/Emergency 
Rehabilitation and Coordination Unit (ERCU) has distributed 
approximately 95% of seed and agricultural tools to identified 
vulnerable families. Meanwhile, FAO/ERCU is preparing to start a quality 
seed multiplication programme and promotion of fruit plants for season 
2008A. In this regard, Intermon Oxfam supports community associations 
with the production of 300,000 plants (grevillea, calliandra, leucaena, 
mesopsis and eucalyptus) through 6 nurseries in Kayogoro (2) and 
Nyanza-Lac (4) communes/Makamba province.

Food security: livestock rehabilitation

Under the framework of the regional project for the reinforcement of 
food security for vulnerable populations affected by conflict in the 
Great Lakes Region, FAO/ERCU organized a training session for community 
animal health assistants. Supported by Spain, the project which started 
in June 2007 aims to: rehabilitate households' livestock through the 
distribution of 4,800 goats in the Provinces of Cibitoke, Bujumbura 
Rural and Bubanza; provide support to national veterinary structures and 
assist in setting up networks for community animal health assistants. So 
far 50 community animal health assistants in targeted Provinces have 
been trained in animal anatomy and physiology, frequent animal diseases 
in Burundi and ways to prevent or treat them. Furthermore, participants 
were introduced to various techniques related to livestock rearing 
including; animal feeding, reproduction and treatment. Practice 
exercises included: presentation of commonly used products and dosage, 
de-worming, injections and thermometry.

Vulnerable persons participate in their own reinsertion

Since August, the Government Project for the reintegration of 
war-affected persons (PARESI) has undertaken construction of 300 houses 
at the village of Nyarunazi/Muyinga Province where beneficiaries are 
returnee families, internally displaced persons and expelled Burundians 
from Tanzania without addresses who were temporarily lodged in the 
transit sites of Kinazi/Muyinga Province and Songore/Ngozi Province.

Ancilla Nahimana, mother of 4 children and widow whose husband was 
killed in 1994 has been identified by the project as one of the 
beneficiaries. Ancilla is yet to be reassured of the security situation 
and has definitely ruled-out the idea of returning to her colline of 
origin. She earns 1,500 Francs Bu per day through manual labor. She is 
now happy to contribute in the construction of the village and hopes 
that the Government will provide her with some land to cultivate.

Update on food aid distribution

During the week under review, WFP distributed 548 MT of food to 57,437 
beneficiaries including 37,495 persons for the seed protection rations 
(SPR) in collaboration with its partners. WFP has therefore completed 
the SPR distribution for 459,350 targeted beneficiaries for the 
agricultural season 2008-A.

Increased efforts to provide assistance to victims of sexual gender 
based violence (GBV)

International Medical Corps (IMC)/Burundi will soon start a GBV project 
with the aim of building the capacity of public health centers in the 
better management of GBV cases. The project has identified 20 health 
centers in Rutana and Makamba Provinces.

Education

With the objective to further support the Burundi educational system, 
UNICEF delivered 2.5 tons for the construction of a handicraft training 
centre in Bujumbura Mairie (300) and a primary school in Bujumbura Rural 
(275). Another 650 bags were donated to the provincial education 
departments of Bubanza and Makamba Provinces for the construction and 
rehabilitation of primary schools.

Meningitis alert

The Ministry of Public Health has gathered partners involved in the 
health sector on October 10 to discuss emergency response to meningitis 
outbreak in Nyabitsinda Commune/Ruyigi Province.

For more information: E-mail: ocha-burundi@un.org, Tel: +257 22 205000 
Ext. 5542

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