Church wants US $609,897 for the vulnerable

Action by Churches Together, a Geneva-based network of churches worldwide involved in humanitarian work, has appealed for US $609,897 to provide mostly non-food items to 50,000 of the must vulnerable people in Burundi. The appeal made on 20 Oct., on behalf of Christian Aid (CA), proposes an agricultural package and renovation of school catering for 815 pupils. Burundi's food situation has become more insecure due to the destruction of crops in the war, lack of rain and a reduction in the rural workforce because of a serious malaria epidemic that affected two million people. Overpopulation has led to the cultivation of marginal land and, as a result, ACT reported, "nearly 100,000 people needed to attend therapeutic feeding centres". The economy is in a poor state with industries declining and the country is unable to pay service charges on its $1.3 billion debt, 180 percent of the gross domestic product, ACT reported. Despite pledges at the Paris donors' conference in December 2000, ACT added, "funds have not yet started to flow". Given these problems, amidst growing insecurity, ACT, CA and the Burundi Council of Churches (Conseil National des Eglises du Burundi) jointly decided to launch an appeal running from October 2001 to March 2002, "to meet the most immediate needs for the next six months". They plan a follow-up appeal from April to December 2002 in keeping with the seasons for agricultural and building reconstruction projects. The appeal, ACT reported, will cover distribution of non-food items; agricultural rehabilitation that includes a seeds and tools distribution; refurbishment of Matana School, Bururi province; and training for those involved in these projects. [Full report available at http://www.act-intl.org/appeals/appeals_title.html]