ReliefWeb

Summary: CHF 124,002 was allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on 30 May, 2012 to support the Central African Republic Red Cross Society (CARRC) in delivering assistance to 1,973 beneficiaries (390 families).
This DREF operation was in response to a new wave of torrential rainfall received in Amada-Gaza, Boda Centre, Kanguete,Boulay and Mboumandourou localities in Central African Republic.

The National Society at the time of this new flooding was in the process of assisting vulnerable persons affected by violent winds experienced in February 2012 in the localities of Bougoula, Mbaïki and Amada-Gaza that had caused serious material damages and human casualties.

The DREF allocation enabled the Central African Republic Red Cross (CARRC) provide immediate assistance in form of relief distributions (Non-Food Items) and Water, sanitation and hygiene promotion (WASH) to those affected by flooding. Targeted beneficiaries received NFI kits consisting of tarpaulins, blankets, mosquito nets, sleeping mats, and soap, as well as kitchen kits in compliance with Sphere minimum standards. In addition, volunteers from the Boda cleaned and built fences around 12 standpipes, 147 wells and 2 springs that serve approximately 10,815 beneficiaries and cleanup and fencing of 10 wells and 2 standpipes that serve approximately 7,000 beneficiaries done in Amada-Gaza. Beneficiaries also received water storage containers to store their drinking water reducing chances of water contamination and thereby contributing to a reduction in water-borne diseases outbreak.

Through the Red Cross intervention, beneficiaries reported change in their hygiene habits as a result of the sensitizations they received on the importance of hygiene.

The National Society capacity was strengthened through the training of its 50 volunteers deployed in the flood hit areas. The National Society operational capacity has also been strengthened through the coaching performed by the IFRC Central Africa Regional Representation Office (CARRO) and in country DREF final report Central African Republic: Local storms technical support provided by the regional resource person deployed for the operation.A total of CHF 1,655 was unspent at the close of the operation and has been returned to DREF.

The Netherlands Red Cross and Government contributed to the DREF in replenishment of the allocation made for this operation.The major donors and partners of DREF include the Australian, American and Belgian governments, the Austrian Red Cross, the Canadian Red Cross and government, Danish Red Cross and government, the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO), the Irish and the Italian governments, the Japanese Red Cross Society, the Luxembourg government, the Monaco Red Cross and government, the Netherlands Red Cross and government, the Norwegian Red Cross and government, the Spanish Government, the Swedish Red Cross and government, the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), the Medtronic and Z Zurich Foundations, and other corporate and private donors. The IFRC, on behalf of the National Society, would like to extend thanks to all for their generous contributions