Coping with urban flood-displaced

The Burkina Faso government says thousands of flood-displaced families have till 30 November to quit temporary camps throughout the capital, Ouagadougou. Some of those affected are worried about the deadline.



The government has designated 15,000 plots of land where displaced families are to relocate, and will give cash and materials to help people rent or build homes, according to officials.



“It will be difficult to leave and relocate at this point,” said Jean Baptiste Bambara, one of some 14,000 the UN estimates are living at the 18 sites. "Many people do not have homes to go to and living with relatives would place too great a burden."



In September severe flooding in Ouagadougou claimed at least five lives and displaced some 100,000 people. The government, along with the UN and aid agencies, set up temporary housing throughout the capital for those left homeless.



Housing and Urbanism Minister Vincent Dabilgou said the government can be flexible with people who are unable to immediately relocate.



“Naturally the deadline will not be the same [for those without any options],” he told IRIN. But he said people can live in tents at the new designated sites as they await construction of new homes.



The government is to provide 50,000 CFA francs (US$113) to those who were renting and 280,000 CFA francs ($633) in money and building materials to people who lost their own houses to the flooding.



Displaced resident Bambara echoed many other displaced people in saying that the amounts are insufficient. “Many flood victims do not work; the government must help us with more money.”



The government says the project as planned will require about 8 billion CFA francs ($18 million). The money is coming from the government as well as private and public donors to a national fund set up to help flood victims.



The World Food Programme will provide food aid to people upon their departure from the camps, Annalisa Conte, WFP head in Burkina Faso, told IRIN. “We will give a ration that will cover two months of their food needs – cereals, beans, vegetable oil, sugar and fortified food blend for the children.”



The UN, Red Cross, Oxfam and other aid agencies are working with the government to provide food and other relief supplies to flood victims.



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