Kirundo: Over 22 thousand families receive WFP food assistance

The World Food Program has brought food assistance made of 1000 tons to 130 thousand people from Busoni and Bugabira communes in Kirundo province this Tuesday 5 March.

Local residents from Busoni commune receiving the WFP assistance

Twenty households received 10 fifty–kilo-bags of maize and 3 of beans as well as salt and oil. Beneficiaries from both communes appreciated the assistance. They said some of them died due to hunger while others fled the country following the drought that threatened them. h. “We really appreciated the WFP assistance as we are living in dire straits”, said Estella Mukamana, Chief of Gatete hill of Busoni commune in Kirundo province.

She, however, said the assistance is insufficient. “Five households out of twelve that need to be supported from my hill received the assistance”, she said.

Rosalie Nahimana, another local resident who didn’t receive the assistance said next time the WFP should share the food assistance between all the population. “We all need to be supported”, she said.
Virginia Villar Arribas, WFP Country Director has said it is an emergency for people suffering from hunger in Kirundo province. “We are very concerned about the prevailing situation and WFP continues looking for financial means to assist them”, she said.

The WFP Representative has also said they will work together with the administration and the Red Cross to identify appropriate measures to be resilient to the climate change.

The same view is shared by Alain Tribert Mutabazi, Kirundo Governor. He said there is a need to end up with the worsening situation in Kirundo province. He said irrigation techniques, growing plants in marshland and using motor pumps in dry areas should be used to cope with the situation. “Local residents should also benefit from the different lakes located in Kirundo province,” he said.

Kirundo Governor then called upon humanitarian assistance organizations to support the vulnerable people. “The WFP assistance is for 15 days. They need the assistance for at least two months’, he said.