Local NGO donates equipment to 80 fishermen

A local NGO in the Central African Republic (CAR), the Solidarité Protestante en Centrafrique, has started a week-long distribution of fishing equipment to some 80 fishermen in two sectors of the capital, Bangui, Réné Constant Ngbondo, the organisation's official in charge of displaced persons, told IRIN on Tuesday.

"You can't imagine what a joy is it is for a fisherman to receive such equipment," he said. "Many other fishermen heard of the distribution and are soliciting assistance from us, we'll call on willing donors to help."

The distribution started on Saturday. Ngondo said his NGO, which was set up by the Protestant of Christ the King (Eglise Protestante du Christ Roi), received US $9,300 from the Ecumenical Council of Churches to help the fishermen who returned from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The fishermen were grouped into 150 families and 80 were offered nets or bobbins.

In the aftermath of the May 2001 coup attempt by former CAR leader Andre Kolingba, fishermen in southern and eastern neighbourhoods of Bangui lost all their equipment as they fled across the Oubangui River to the town of Zongo, in northwestern DRC. They returned home desperate and penniless.