ReliefWeb

In Numbers

3,004 mt of food assistance distributed

USD 486,186 cash transferred under assistance to refugees, returnees, IDPs and vulnerable people affected by the socio-economic impact of COVID-19

USD 13.2 m net funding requirements for the next six months (July - December 2021)

630,265 people assisted in June 2021

Operational Updates

Assistance to refugees

WFP distributed 782 mt of in-kind food and USD 129,349 through cash based transfer (CBT) to 51,057 refugees (22,465 males, 28,592 females, 13,785 children aged 6-59 months and 2,042 people aged over 60 years. In-kind food consisted of cereals, pulses, vegetable oil and salt. CBT was provided to purchase fresh food to complement the rations.

Assistance to returnees

WFP provided 244 mt of in-kind food as well as USD 148,358 through CBT to 6,678 Burundi returnees (3,272 males and 3,406 females). The in-kind food assistance consisted of hot meals provided at the transit centres, and a three-month return package consisting of cereals and vegetable oil. CBT was provided to substitute beans and salt, not present in the food basket. The return package facilitated the returnees to reintegrate in their communities.

Food assistance to to internally displaced persons (IDPs)

WFP transferred USD 90,682 through CBT to assist 14,765 IDPs, including households displaced by the rising waters of Lake Tanganyika in Rumonge Province, and those affected by flooding in Gatumba, Bujumbura.

Food assistance to people affected by the socio-economic impact of COVID-19

In June, 26,750 people (13,107 males and 13,643 females) in Rumonge Province and Cibitoke Province received a total of 174 mt of food, consisting of cereals and vegetable oil. Each household also received a cash entitlement (BIF 80,000, equivalent to USD 41.3) to purchase beans, not provided in WFP’s food basket. In total, USD 117,797 were transferred to beneficiaries.

Treatment of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM)

Through MAM treatment activities implemented in Cankuzo, Kirundo, Ngozi, and Rutana Provinces, WFP reached 7,644 moderately malnourished pregnant and lactating women and girls (PLWGs), and 9,691 children aged 6-59 months with 134 mt of specialized nutritious foods. Distributions were coupled with social behaviour change communication (SBCC) implemented by community workers.

School feeding

In June, 513,680 school children received hot meals at school. A total of 1,670 mt of food (including 122 mt of milk) were distributed in the provinces of Bubanza, Cibitoke, Bujumbura, Muyinga, Gitega, Ngozi and Kirundo.

Burundi’s First Lady visits Benin’s school feeding programme

WFP facilitated a learning visit to Benin for the First Lady of Burundi, from 9 to 14 June 2021. The visit aimed to exchange experience between Rwanda and Benin regarding school feeding programmes.

The World Bank and WFP launch a social behavioural change communication campaign around nutrition

As part of the "Zero Malnutrition" campaign launched by the First Lady, WFP and the World Bank launched a social and behavioral change communication campaign on 25 June 2021 to change eating habits in Burundi. The school canteen was identified as a gateway to promote nutritious local food. The World Bank and WFP called on Burundian chef, Coco Reinarhz, to give cooking demonstrations and strengthen the capacities of parents who cook in schools.

Supply Chain

• In June, WFP delivered 835 mt of food during its operations (excluding the school feeding programme).

• In collaboration with UNICEF and IOM, and thanks to USAID funding, WFP installed ten containers to optimize storage in the health districts in Gitega, Muyinga and Kirundo Provinces and CAMEBU (the national pharmaceutical warehouse in Bujumbura) to support the Ministry of Public Health as part of the national response to COVID-19.

• WFP procured 347,000 personal protection equipment (PPEs) that will be donated to the Ministry of Public Health to complement the implementation of preventive measures against COVID-19.