AFGHANISTAN
The future is of great concern for the Afghan population. Can the Bonn conference provide an adequate response?
December 2th 2011
5 DECEMBRE 10 years after the first Bonn conference in December 2001, how has the situation evolved in Afghanistan? What are the prospects for the future for the Afghan population? Above all, this second conference in Bonn must not forget the vital, daily needs of the Afghan people.
Our reason for making reference to the Bonn conference is solely because it will have a direct impact on the daily lives of the Afghan population, to whom we have provided aid for 31 years, during periods of hope but also during their darkest hours. Today, the conflict continues, has become more radical and is gradually spreading. According to a recent study, the majority of Afghan population places the blame for their misfortunes on poverty, unemployment, corruption and bad government. At the Bonn 2 conference on December 5th, the Afghan authorities and the international community has the responsibility of providing answers to the troubles tormenting the Afghan people.
Against this deteriorating backdrop, Alain Boinet, founder and managing director of SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, protests: «The participants at the Bonn conference must take on their responsibilities to launch a peace process. This is the only way to provide security and development. Above all, the Bonn conference must not forget the vital, daily needs of the Afghan people. 8 million Afghans are hungry, 50% of children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition, 78% of the population does not have access to safe drinking water, causing high mortality among young children. Enough! Above and beyond any political debate, the Bonn conference must provide long-term answers to these glaring needs. For our part, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL will continue its humanitarian mission in Afghanistan at all costs».
OUR HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMS
Present in Afghanistan for 31 years, the humanitarian organization SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is currently providing emergency relief, as well as support for reconstruction, agricultural revival and natural resource management. Our team on the ground comprises 22 expatriates and 153 Afghans, and implements 9 programs in 7 provinces, benefiting 651,300 Afghans. This team works every day to provide long-term solutions to the vital needs of rural and urban populations affected by conflict, structural poverty and natural disasters.
PRESS CONTACTS / Renaud Douci, press officer - 01 80 21 05 94 / 06 98 96 58 35. To arrange an interview or for further information, we will put you into contact with Alain Boinet, founder and managing director of SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, with Mayté Martin Serra, director of our operations in Asia and Peter Robertson, head of mission in Afghanistan.
AFGHANISTAN No withdrawal for humanitarian aid
October 4th 2011
At a time when the United States and its NATO allies are announcing a
phased withdrawal of their forces by 2014, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL,
an NGO present in Afghanistan for over 30 years, reasserts its commitment
to the Afghan population in a special report titled Afghanistan, no withdrawal
for humanitarian aid.
On October 7 2001, the military forces of the United States and its allies
intervened in Afghanistan following the destruction of the twin towers
in New York. This coming December 5, an international conference will
be held once again in Bonn, 10 years after the first one which defined
the outlines of the policy implemented in Afghanistan. What was the outcome
of this intervention and this conference? What are the prospects for the
future?
Alain Boinet, director and founder of SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, recaps
the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and reaffirms the NGO’s
commitment to the Afghan population: “While the number of internally
displaced – many fleeing the escalation and spread of violence –
is close to 500,000, there are still more than 3 million Afghan refugees
in the world. At the same time as the country is suffering from a drought
which is affecting at least 7.8 million Afghans who are going hungry,
diseases caused by unsafe water and lack of sanitation constitute a major
cause of mortality for children under the age of five. Moreover, nearly
half the territory is inaccessible for humanitarian aid and we are afraid
that financial support for international humanitarian aid is diminishing,
possibly even slowing to a gradual halt. We have been in Afghanistan for
over 30 years and we will remain alongside Afghans for as long as they
request it. Despite progress in a number of areas (health, education,
infrastructures, etc.), humanitarian aid is still essential for the daily
livelihood of millions of Afghans, and the future remains precarious.”
Present for 31 years in Afghanistan, the humanitarian aid organization
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is currently implementing emergency aid in the
country, as well as providing support for reconstruction and for the revival
of agriculture and livestock farming. Our teams are in place, are made
up of 22 expatriate workers and 153 Afghans, and are conducting nine programs
in seven provinces for the benefit of 651,300 Afghans. “We will
continue our action based on the impartiality of our aid which is determined
only by the needs of the imperiled populations, and in absolute independence”,
explains Alain Boinet.
PRESS CONTACT Renaud Douci, press relations manager – +33 1 80
21 05 94 / +33 6 98 96 58 35
Drought
in Somalia:
An emergency program for over 150,000 people
2 August 2011
HORN OF AFRICA: In three areas of southern and central Somalia, around 150,000 people are in need of emergency food aid. SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL appeals for funding to launch a large-scale emergency program to meet their food and water needs, and requests financial support from the main international aid agencies, the general public, local authorities and companies.
“In the Bardera/Elwak, Almadow and Adaado regions, in central Somalia, a total of 150,000 people have been identified as particularly vulnerable by our teams. This critical situation is due to difficulties in food access since prices have tripled or quadrupled. To prevent people leaving their homes and increasing the tide of displaced persons and refugees, we need to bring food and water to them,” explains Bérengère Tripon, Horn of Africa regional manager.
Our teams in Somalia, who are already carrying out water access and food aid programs to assist 50,000 people, are ready to increase their activities and implement emergency aid programs on a large scale. To help them define these programs, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL has sent in program managers and water and food security specialists, until an additional team arrives to support the existing teams.
To meet the vital needs of these particularly vulnerable populations, our emergency program includes the following elements:
>water distribution for human and animal consumption for 25,000 families
>distribution of food vouchers to 25,000 families
>distribution of animal fodder to 14,500 families
>distribution of water treatment systems to 22,000 families
>distribution of hygiene kits (soap, water container, chlorine, etc.) to 23,000 families
>distribution of non-food kits (kitchen utensils, mosquito nets, plastic covers, blankets) to 12,500 families
To commence these emergency humanitarian operations and provide relief for all these families, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL requests financial support from the main international aid agencies, the general public, local authorities and companies. For more information, please visit our website www.solidarites.org.
In Kenya, where our teams are also operating, additional assessments are being carried out in several areas. SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL seeks to immediately increase its emergency activites for 7,500 families in North Horr: distribution of water, food supplements and animal fodder. The aim is to help communities and their animals to be able to travel the longer distances between scarce water points and pasture.
TV5MONDE has offered its support to SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL by broadcasting a donation campaign free of charge over its whole network from August 2nd to August 6th 2011 (over 150 viewings in total).
PRESS CONTACTS / 01 80 21 05 94 – For an interview or for further information, we will put you in contact with our correspondents in Kenya: Renaud Douci, press officer (North Kenya – 00 254 728 024 351), Bérengère Tripon, Horn of Africa regional manager, Keith Porter, head of mission Kenya & Somalie. Photos from Somalia available.
Drought: the humanitarian crisis is now
26 July 2011
HORN OF AFRICA: SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is stepping up its action to meet the basic needs of populations in Kenya and Somalia, and requests urgent, large-scale international mobilisation to allow millions of people to survive a dangerously worsening food crisis.
In northern Kenya and southern Somalia, where SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL has been carrying out food security and drinking water access programs since 2006, the crisis caused by the combined effects of the drought, inflation and armed conflict has already killed thousands of people. Malnutrition rates have hit record-breaking levels. Moreover, the beginnings of a return to food self-sufficiency can only be hoped for in spring 2012. We must act, and act fast.
Following the ministerial meeting in Rome organized by the FAO, which was far from sufficient in view of the current crisis, Alain Boinet, director and founder of SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, has made an appeal to the French authorities presiding the G20, and to participants at the Nairobi donors conference on Wednesday 27 July, asking for an emergency humanitarian response on the same scale as the tragedy affecting populations in the Horn of Africa, and taking into consideration the long-term satisfaction of their basis needs: “How many human tragedies do we have to endure before international mobilization is at last on the same scale as the humanitarian crisis which is currently affecting the Horn of Africa? Today, there is indeed a race against time to stop this growing human crisis.”
In this context, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL recommends several emergency measures:
> immediate and exceptional financial mobilization for emergency humanitarian aid.
> an appeal for all parties to allow humanitarian aid to be deployed, especially in Somalia, according to the humanitarian principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence, enabling aid to be provided on the sole basis of the vital needs of affected populations.
> that this massive, immediate aid should also be coupled with a short, medium and long-term plan for durable solutions to the recurrent water and food shortages in this region.
REINFORCING OUR EMERGENCY ACTION
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is increasing its activities and has sent technical experts and managers to reinforce the teams in the field. In arid areas of northern Kenya and southern Somalia, we are providing aid for around 100,000 people to help them to withstand water and food shortages: emergency distributions of water and food, construction and rehabilitation of drinking water facilities (wells, boreholes, water collection systems, underground reservoirs, dikes, dams)…
In response to recurrent periods of drought, our teams help pastoral communities to improve their methods of adaptation and their resistance to future climate crises by protecting their livestock (fodder, concentrated food, veterinary care). The animals are then able to move between water points and pastures, which are now much further apart due to the disappearance of around one hundred water points (10 to 12 days walk, compared to 4 or 5 days walk a few months ago).
To increase aid for populations in danger, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL calls for financial support from the general public, local authorities and companies. Please visit our website: www.solidarites.org.
CONTACTS PRESSE 01 80 21 05 94 – For an interview or for further information, we will put you in contact with our correspondants in Kenya: Renaud Douci, press officer (North Kenya – 00 254 728 024 351), Bérengère Tripon, regional manager for the Horn of Africa, Keith Porter, head of mission Kenya & Somalie. Photos from Somalia available.
Horn of Africa: drought crisis
5 July 2011
KENYA, SOMALIA. Following a virtually inexistent rainy season, the dry season which has barely started will be an extremely critical period for rural populations whose livelihoods depend primarily on livestock. In North Kenya and southern Somalia, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is helping populations to withstand lack of water and food.
As a consequence of global warming and the La Nina phenomenon, the Horn of Africa is suffering from more frequent and severe periods of drought. « In just the last two years, the region has been hit by two major droughts, » explains Philippe Carrette, our program coordinator in Kenya. « The current drought is the most severe for 60 years, affecting around 10 million people. » (Source: UN)
Since 2006, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL has been implementing food security and water access programs in arid areas of North Kenya (North Horr) and in Somalia. Our teams provide emergency relief during the recurrent periods of drought, by distributing water and by building or rehabilitating water facilities: wells, boreholes, water collection systems, underground reservoirs, dykes and dams. In parallel, they seek to improve the coping mechanisms of pastoral communities and their resiliency to climatic crises.
Stepping up the emergency response in Kenya and Somalia
Our programs enable around 50,000 people to improve their livelihoods, by strengthening their ability to protect their livestock. Distributions of seeds and animals with better resistance to drought, veterinary care, vaccinations, training, fodder production… In response to this latest crisis, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL will extend its activities to 7,500 additional people in August, at the peak of the drought. This emergency program is funded by the French Inter-ministerial Committee for Food Aid (CIAA), and will also be implemented in Somalia, where the situation is also critical.
« In Somalia, our teams in the South of the country, especially in Bardera, have observed mass arrivals of people fleeing the fighting and drought, » explains Bérengère Tripon, our Horn of Africa regional manager. « They are so weak that we have started food distributions. We must help them to get through this new drought crisis. »
For updates and information from our teams in the field, please visit our website www.solidarites.org.
PRESS CONTACT Renaud Douci, press officer – 01 80 21 05 94 / 06 98 96 58 35
For interviews or additional information, we will put you in contact with:
Bérengère Tripon, Horn of Africa regional manager
Philippe Carette, program coordinator in Kenya
Humanitarian emergency in Abidjan
April 11, 2011
IVORY COAST The fighting and insecurity which prevail in Abidjan have provoked a major humanitarian crisis. In this emergency context, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is providing aid and assistance to the victims of violence in the capital, but also the refugees from Ivory Coast in Liberia.
More than a million inhabitants have already fled the capital. Food supplies are almost inaccessible. The shortage of drinking water threatens to provoke a cholera epidemic. Power cuts plunge whole districts into darkness and heighten insecurity. The population is urgently in need of help.
Our emergency team is operating in these extremely dangerous and difficult conditions. “We are providing water and sanitation assistance in a health center run by a medical NGO which treats the wounded in the district of Abobo,” explains Benoît-Xavier Loridon, our Head of Mission. “Everywhere, the population is in dire need of drinking water and foodstuffs.”
Given the uncertain outcome of the current situation, SOLIDARITIES INTERNATIONAL will rapidly reinforce our presence in Abidjan, as well as on the Daloa-San Pedro axis, where large numbers of displaced persons are concentrated. We will immediately begin distributing water supply and hygiene equipment. We also plan to distribute foodstuffs and items that meet essential needs.
At the same time, we plan to strengthen our teams in Liberia. They are currently managing a transit camp of 2 000 refugees and undertaking emergency water distribution and the construction of latrines in a border village where some 3 000 refugees are concentrated. “125 000 persons have already crossed the border. And this number is only increasing,” warns Claire Bouzigues, our Head of Mission in Liberia. “In a single day, 5 000 refugees arrived in Maryland. They were followed by some 12 000 others. Exhausted after several days of walking, they gather in temporary camps and drink the unsafe water they find. It is imperative that we take action, especially given the inadequacy of international assistance.”
“For days and days, we’ve been seeing televised images of violence, fear, population movement, destitution, hunger, thirst, but also hope. We are well aware of what is going on. In this context, it is a question of acting quickly and efficiently to compensate for the lack of anticipation and international coordination,” says Alain Boinet, director of SOLIDARITIES INTERNATIONAL, who has issued an appeal for donations to finance the intensification of emergency humanitarian aid.
PRESS CONTACTS
France : Renaud Douci, Press Relations Manager - +33 1 80 21 05 94
Ivory Coast : Benoît-Xavier Loridon, Head of Mission - + 225 44 96
Liberia : Claire Bouzigues, Head of Mission - + 231 6 53 17 06
SOLIDARITIES INTERNATIONAL is an emergency humanitarian aid association which, for 30 years, has been providing assistance to victims of armed conflicts and natural disasters. Our mission is to meet their vital needs (water, food and shelter), initially in crisis situations and then during the reconstruction phase. Particularly engaged in the fight against diseases caused by unsafe water, the leading cause of death in the world, we have developed expertise and know-how respected in the field of access to drinking water and sanitation. In 2011, our humanitarian teams are present in 16 countries. Our NGO has been active in Ivory Coast since 2004.
Crisis in Ivory Coast: SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL REACTS to the emergency!
March 14, 2011
With tens of thousands of Ivorian refugees flooding into Liberia, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is preparing an emergency intervention to meet the needs of around 30 000 people, both for refugees and the Liberian population hosting them.
In the last five days, the HCR has registered the arrival of over 30 000 people fleeing the intensifying fighting between Laurent Gbagbo’s forces and Alassane Ouatarra’s supporters. « In total, 73 500 Ivorian refugees have already crossed the border since the elections last November », explains Claire Bouzigues, our Head of Mission in Liberia. « They have abandoned everything, and are crammed into overflowing refugee camps and Liberian villages which cannot accommodate them all. Both the refugees and their Liberian hosts urgently need food, drinking water and basic commodities. »
In the face of the worsening situation in Ivory Coast, causing an influx of refugees which is unlikely to be stemmed for some time, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is ready to take action, in partnership with the HCR, ECHO and UNICEF, to assist Ivorian refugees in Liberia, as well as the populations hosting them.
Our field team has activated a program which has been specifically developed to improve the living conditions of refugee populations fleeing armed conflict. « The rapid response mechanism to population movements (RRMP) has been implemented by our teams since 2004, in particular in the Democratic Republic of Congo », points out Béatrice Paviot, Africa desk officer. « This type of intervention consists in carrying out instantaneous evaluations after each population movement, in order to make emergency distributions in less than 72h to meet the needs identified in terms of water, sanitation and hygiene. These regular evaluations are also a monitoring activity which enables the humanitarian response to be better coordinated by alerting all parties to changes in the situation. »
Our action targets around 30 000 people (both Ivorian refugees and vulnerable Liberian residents) and includes:
- provision of drinking water in refugee camps and host villages;
- construction of latrines and showers, in particular in refugee camps;
- improvement of hygiene through the installation of drainage systems in the refugee camps;
- distributions of non-food items (hygiene kits, cooking kits, shelter kits)
On the other side of the border, our Ivory Coast team is also preparing to launch the same program. Our aim: to meet the basic needs of displaced populations.
PRESS CONTACT: Renaud Douci - 01 80 21 05 94 - rdouci@solidarites.org
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is a humanitarian organization which provides aid to victims of war and natural disaster. For 30 years, our action has focused on meeting their vital needs (food, water, shelter) in emergency situations and through to reconstruction. We are particularly committed to fighting water-borne diseases, the most frequent cause of death worldwide, and we have developed a well-recognized expertise in the field of drinking water access and sanitation.
In 2011, our humanitarian teams are working in 16 countries, and in particular in Libya, where a team has been sent to evaluate the needs of the population affected by the fighting between the forces which are loyal to the regime and their opponents.
Haiti, time to emerge from chaos!
January 11, 2011
One year after the earthquake on January 12, 2010, in the midst of the cholera epidemic, the toll for the Haitian population is catastrophic. Numerous disasters have compounded the grief for lost loved ones. Our solidarity for Haiti is still vital.
Every day, multitudes of Haitians are fighting to escape the succession of misfortunes which have befallen them: the earthquake, torrential rains, paralysis due to tons of uncleared rubble, political uncertainty, a cholera epidemic… forming a vicious circle. The Haitian population is fighting courageously, and we must support them with all our might, day after day, without respite.
In this context, certain analysts are tempted to cast doubt on all the organisations present in Haiti, including the NGOs. In this respect, Alain Boinet, managing director and founder of SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, declares:
« We are first and foremost responsible for the aid programmes which we are carrying out as a humanitarian organisation. We have just published a report with detailed information about our humanitarian action, and the utilisation of funds received. We are neither the Haitian authorities, nor the international community. We cannot play substitute for these institutions, however we must work in close cooperation with and provide support for social structures, as we are doing with local committees in Port-au-Prince and with various public services and other international organizations. Yes, the humanitarian challenge is huge, which is all the more reason to unite all our capabilities. Yes it is difficult, yes it is complicated, therefore all means, actions and discussions must first and foremost be directed towards effective action for and with the Haitian population in danger. »
This is what SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL has been doing, as far as possible, through its mission in Haiti for the past 12 months, with a team of 24 expatriates and 151 Haitians, in Port-au-Prince and Petit-Goave. It is the very objective of our humanitarian action to help the Haitians to escape from their misfortune. This is our hope.
For more information, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is available to give interviews in Paris and in Port-au-Prince:
- In Paris, contact Constance Decorde, press contact, on 01 80 21 05 91 and cdecorde@solidarites.org
- In Port-au-Prince, contact Béatrice Paviot, Haiti regional manager, on 00 509 36 41 89 51
For more information, please visit our website: www.solidarites.org
Sharp increase in cholera cases in Port-au-Prince
17 December 2010
Following the blockades due to demonstrations in Port-au-Prince,
the NGOs SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL and ALIMA have observed a sharp increase
in cholera cases in the Haitian capital.
Following the unrest last week, hundreds of thousands of
litres of drinking water could not be distributed and access to cholera
treatment centres was restricted, which had a direct influence on the
spread of the cholera epidemic.
Paris and Port-au-Prince, 17 December 2010 – Over 300 cholera patients
were admitted last week to treatment centres supported by the medical
NGO ALIMA (The Alliance for International Medical Action) in Petionville
and Delmas, as many as the total number of cases since our activities
commenced one month ago. Other medical organisations have also observed
a large increase in cases in districts which had thus far been less affected
by the epidemic.
«In Bristou Bobin district, cases have increased from 5 per
day three weeks ago to 15 per day last week. On December 15th, 49 cases
were admitted to this centre, of which three later died» declared
Thierry ALLAFORT-DUVERGER, President of ALIMA.
While the cholera epidemic continues to spread in Haiti with 2300 deaths
recorded, the restrictions on movements last week have further exacerbated
risks. Indeed, early access to medical care and large volumes of drinking
water are the keys to fighting a cholera epidemic.
«The barricades in the city have paralysed our operations to
supply around 645000 litres of drinking water per day, empty latrines
and disinfect sites, creating a situation where the epidemic can expand
in city districts and quake victims’ camps» explains
Grégory Bulit from the NGO SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL.
The next stages in the electoral process also present a high risk of
unrest. Whilst the signatories to this press release confirm that they
hold a neutral position in this process, they also insist on reminding
all parties present that the provision of aid during a cholera epidemic
is essential. A blockade, even if it is only for a few days or a few hours
and especially if it prevents the supply of drinking water, will always
have tragic consequences for the Haitian population. Therefore, all parties
must accept their responsibility for ensuring that access to medical care
for cholera patients is never restricted and that the distribution of
aid, in particular drinking water, is never impeded.
In the last few days, to reduce the impact of the sharp increase in cholera
cases, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL has redoubled its efforts to provide
chlorinated water to affected ares and has also intensified the presence
of hygiene promotion agents to inform the population about simple ways
to protect themselves from the disease. In addition to the distribution
of drinking water using water tankers at campsites and ALIMA treatment
centres, the SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL team has set up 11 chlorination
points in sensitive areas, and provides support for around 217 hygiene
promotion agents, chlorinators, latrine maintenance agents and disinfection
agents (spraying to disinfect homes) in affected campsites and districts.
_______________________________________________________________________
The joint operational response implemented by ALIMA and SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL
aims to treat patients suffering from cholera and prevent the spread of
the disease. In Delmas, Petionville and Kenscoff districts, ALIMA is currently
running, in partnership with the Ministry of Public Health and Population
and local medical facilities, three cholera treatment units with a total
capacity of 110 beds (Haitian community hospital, Fermathe hospital, and
ACRA field CTU in partnership with the American Refugee Committee (ARC)),
5 stabilisation units and a network of 35 oral rehydration points with
the NGOs SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL and FEDH. ALIMA has also set up a network
of 9 ambulances which work day and night to enable transfers. To date,
ALIMA has treated over 800 cholera patients during this project.
The joint SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL–ALIMA project is funded by
the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office - ECHO.
Press contacts:
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL
Constance Decorde (communication officer):
01 80 21 05 91 - Email: cdecorde@solidarites.org
Head of Mission Haiti: Eléonore CHIOSSONE – Tél :
37 01 81 24 / 34 91 53 18
Liaison Officer Haiti: Jennifer M'VOUAMA – Tél : 37 01 81
25
To find out more about SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL: www.solidarites.org
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL : 50 rue Klock 92110 Clichy-la-Garenne. Tel
01 80 21 05 05 / Fax 01 80 21 05 99
ALIMA
Guillaume Le Duc, Program Manager
Mobile: +33 6 28 53 01 41 - Office: +33 1 76 74 75 14
Thierry Allafort-Duverger, President
Mobile: +33 6 24 29 43 43 - Office: +33 1 76 74 75 15
ALIMA The Alliance for International Medical Action – www.alimango.org
ALIMA : 39 rue de Romainville 93100 Montreuil, France
Email : presse@alima-ngo.org
SOLIDARITES
INTERNATIONAL: fighting the cholera epidemic in Port au Prince
22 November 2010
SOLIDARITES lNTERNATIONAL, a humanitarian aid organisation specialising in access to drinking water and sanitation, is stepping up its emergency response to the cholera epidemic in Haiti, in coordination with other humanitarian organisations.
According to the latest official figures, the cholera epidemic in Haiti has claimed the lives of 1250 people, and over 20,000 people have been hospitalised in the Artibonite, Centre, West, North West and North provinces. In the meantime, cases in Port au Prince have increased sixfold in one week, with 46 deaths to date. The Haitian Ministry of Public Health and Population (MPHP) estimates that there are 600 to 800 new cases every day.
In close coordination with its partners and with other humanitarian organisations, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is stepping up its emergency activities in Port au Prince:
- Emergency awareness about basic hygiene in displaced persons’ camps using megaphones, posters and flyers. Training of hygiene promoters.
- Targeted emergency distributions of soap and Aquatabs (water purification tablets) in high-risk areas.
- Cleaning sanitary facilities and spraying chlorine solutions at all the sites where SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is present.
- Cleaning drinking water tanks.
- Chlorinating 22 wells and water points, training of chlorinators.
- Construction of latrine blocks and supplying drinking water, to support the medical NGO ALIMA which is setting up ORPs (Oral Rehydration Points) and CTUs (Cholera Treatment Units) at the sites where SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is present. Preparation for round-the-clock monitoring.
- Construction of latrine blocks, to support the medical NGO Merlin which is setting up CTUs.
- Organisation of waste cleaning days at intervention sites.
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL was present in Haiti from 2005 to 2007 following hurricane Jeanne, and is currently providing assistance to 124,000 people in Port au Prince, Petit Goave and Grand Goave, with a team of 22 volunteers and 150 Haitian staff, in the wake of the January 2010 earthquake.
SOLIDARITES
INTERNATIONAL: our teams are on the front line
against cholera in Port au Prince
26 October 2010
SOLIDARITES lNTERNATIONAL, a humanitarian organisation providing relief
for the victims of the January earthquake in Haiti, has just initiated
an emergency response to prevent the spread of cholera in Port au Prince.
This response was instigated as soon as the cholera alert was given for
Port au Prince, and will be carried out in coordination with the other
humanitarian organisations.
According to the last epidemic bulletin, the cholera outbreak has resulted
in 259 deaths and 3342 hospitalisations in Haiti, mostly in the North
of the country, however a few cases have been diagnosed in Port au Prince.
In response to the very serious danger that an epidemic of this extremely
contagious and virulent disease could pose in a devastated city where
hundreds of thousands of earthquake survivors are still living in open-air
camps, a fast reaction was necessary to outstrip the disease and prevent
it from spreading. In close coordination with its partners and other humanitarian
organisations, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL has therefore launched the following
emergency activities:
- Emergency awareness sessions and bulletins on basic hygiene practices,
on the radio and within camps for displaced persons.
- Emergency distributions of soap and Aquatabs (effervescent water disinfection
tablets)
- Cleansing of sanitary installations and chlorine spraying at 39 sites
which have been identified as high priority.
- Cleansing of drinking water tanks.
- Chlorination of 10 wells and 22 water points.
- Building blocks of latrines to support the work of medial NGOS who are
setting up CTUs (Cholera Treatment Units)
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL has already worked in Haiti from 2005 to 2007
following the tropical storm Jeanne, and since the earthquake in January
2010, we have been providing aid to around 124000 people in Port au Prince,
Petit and Grand Goave. We are implementing drinking water access and sanitation
projects, as well as debris clearing and food security programmes, which
are carried out by a team of 22 volunteers and around 80 Haitian staff
members.
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL concludes 13 years of humanitarian action in Burundi and hands over ongoing programs to local partners
20 October, 2010
The departure of SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL from Burundi marks a turning point in the history of the association, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and is currently active in 15 countries. Indeed, the Burundi mission was one of the longest, second only to Afghanistan where the association was founded in 1980.
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL arrived in Burundi in late 1996, and had already been working in neighboring Rwanda since the summer of 1994, in the aftermath of the horrific genocide. At the time, the crisis in Burundi was at its worst, and was described as a « drop by drop genocide ». We were the first NGO to intervene in Muramvya province, where we provided aid for those most in need, the majority of whom were victims of the massacres. Since that time, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL has taken part in the implementation of political decisions, in particular the Arusha peace agreement in August 2000 which enabled a fragile yet real reconciliation process, and also in the transfer of skills to local partners. Our work has covered more than 10 provinces, and has progressed over the years from initial nutrition and food security programs to drinking water access and sanitation activities, which are the core combat of the association.
In the last 5 years, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL has implemented no less than 7 projects in Burundi, in the fields of drinking water access, sanitation and hygiene, in partnership with the European Union (EuropeAid, DG ECHO), with support from the Fondation Sogelink and our private donors. 500 000 people in 13 provinces have benefited from these aid programs. In a country the size of Burundi, which has a population of around 9 million people, action on this scale will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the improvement of access to drinking water and sanitation. It is now up to the Burundian population to ensure the durability of these installations.
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL leaves Burundi with the conviction that our humanitarian mission is now complete. We especially wish to thank our institutional and private partners. We would also like to thank our local partners; working together considerably contributed to the orientation of SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL’s action in Burundi. Finally, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL would also like to thank all of the numerous Burundian staff members who, over the years, made our action possible in the field. Their remarkable and long-running involvement and commitment has enabled victims of violence and vulnerable individuals to move towards better living conditions. In 2010, our team in Burundi comprised 10 expatriate volunteers and 61 Burundian staff members.
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL hopes that, through their experience, and through
the skills and sense of responsibility of local authorities and partners
to whom the mutually implemented programs have been handed over, that
this may contribute to building a better future for the whole Burundian
population. Finally, from its neighboring mission in DR Congo, SOLIDARITES
INTERNATIONAL will continue to monitor the situation in Burundi and maintain
links with the Burundian population.
Pakistan
floods: SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL provides relief in Sindh province, and
calls for mobilisation among the international community
11 October 2010
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, a humanitarian organisation which has been
working in Pakistan since 2005, has initiated a new humanitarian programme
in Sindh province, and calls for generosity among donors. The NGO has
previously worked in the Muzzaffarabad area in the wake of the October
2005 earthquake, as well as in the Swat valley in 2009 following the humanitarian
crisis caused by fighting between insurgents and the army.
The SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL emergency team is fighting the greatest
dangers facing the victims of the devastating floods in Sindh province:
epidemics of diarrhea, cholera, respiratory and skin diseases, and the
lack of access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene in makeshift
or official refugee camps where tens of thousands of families are living.
20 million people are affected by this disaster, of which 6 to 8 million
are severely affected and 3.5 million are children. The humanitarian crisis
is far from over, and the death toll is likely to rise significantly in
the coming months; the worst is yet to come.
The SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL field team (11 volunteers and 33 Pakistani
staff), drawing strength from the NGO’s 30 years of experience in
drinking water access and sanitation in emergency situations, has already
launched a project to assist 200 000 displaced persons or villagers in
the worst affected areas of Sindh province (Shikarpur, Larkana and Sukkur
districts in the North and Jamshoro and North-Hyderabad districts in the
South). This project is being implemented in partnership with the European
Commission (DG-ECHO), with support from Fondation Véolia, the Swiss
Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Pakistan International
Airlines (PIA). This project, which is already underway, comprises the
following activities:
- Access to drinking water: installation of 15 water treatment units,
each producing 5 litres of water per day for 10 000 people. Supplying
water to refugee camps using trucks, training and support for the treatment
of household water, installation of hand pumps in villages (when the floodwaters
recede).
- Access to sanitation and hygiene: excreta collection, construction of
1500 latrines in refugee camps and 1500 latrines in villages (when the
floodwaters recede), hygiene promotion sessions, distribution of jerry
cans, buckets, cups, soap…
«Humanitarian relief must always meet the vital needs of endangered
populations, whereever they may be. We therefore ask for mobilisation
and generosity on the part of private donors and public institutions,
as was the case for the Tsunami or Haiti, in order to provide all the
aid that the flood victims in Pakistan need over time. It would be a mistake
not to do so» declared Alain Boinet, managing director and founder
of SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL.
SOLIDARITES
INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL wins a « Golden Lion »
at Cannes for its campaign on the devastating impact of unsanitary water
24 June 2010
The « Cannes Lions » international advertising festival, the largest global event for professionals in the advertising and communication industry, which is currently taking place at Cannes, has just awarded a « Golden Lion » to the humanitarian organization SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL.
This award pays tribute to the “Water Talks” public event created by SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL with BDDP Unlimited, which took place at the “Place du Palais Royal” in Paris during the run-up to World Water Day last March 22nd.
The event featured a temporary installation using new technology enabling words to be written in a “wall” of water. For five days, the “talking wall of water” showed messages to generate public awareness about the impact of unsanitary water in the world.
This award casts light on the central combat of the humanitarian organization SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL: access to safe drinking water and sanitation for all. It is also a reminder that unsanitary water is still the main cause of death in the world today. Every year, unsanitary water causes deadly diseases for 8 million people, 1.5 million of whom are children: cholera, typhoid, malaria, diarrhoea, trachoma…
Discover the video of the event on the website: www.solidarites.org
Press contact - SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL International : Constance Decorde (01 80 21 05 91) - cdecorde@solidarites.org
Presse contact - BDDP Unlimited : Perrine Collin (01.53.21.28.02) – Perrine.collin@bddpunlimited.com
Haiti 5 months
on: after the earthquake, the rains…
the cyclones to come… the emergency continues
10 June 2010
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL, who are providing aid to victims of the
January earthquake in Haiti, are concerned by the survivors’ living
conditions and by new threats, leading to an unremitting humanitarian
crisis in Haiti.
The earthquake which shook Haiti on the 12th of January 2010 caused
the worst humanitarian crisis for decades. Nearly 300,000 people were
injured and over 217,000 were killed (Source: the Haitian government),
hundreds of thousands were left homeless and are living in makeshift
camps… 97,294 buildings were destroyed and another 188,383 were
damaged, essential infrastructure and services, as well as economic
and agricultural activities, were left in tatters…
But we must also remember that all this took place in the only state
in the Americas which is classified as one of the Least Developed Countries.
In addition, the rainy season started in April and will continue until
August, increasing the risks of flooding, land slides and epidemics
(especially for those people who are surviving under a plastic sheet,
in the mud). The hurricane season, which meteorologists predict as «
very active », also threatens from June to November.
The tropical storm « Jeanne » in 2004 and the hurricanes
in 2008 (in particular « Hanna », « Gustav »
and « Fay ») are still remembered by the Haitian people
for their violence, their destruction, and the victims that they claimed…
5 months after the earthquake, unrelieved emergency needs must be met.
Among these, the top priorities are the removal and drainage or rubble
and waste, access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities,
and reliable, decent shelters for homeless quake victims. However, in
parallel, the process of restoring food security must be initiated,
especially in areas which are difficult to reach such as Petit Goave
(where the population have opened their homes to many victims from Port
au Prince, thus drawing on their food reserves).
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL, who were already active in Haiti from 2005
to 2007 following the tropical storm « Jeanne », are currently
providing assistance to nearly 124,000 people in Port au Prince, Petit
Goave and Grand Goave, through several types of projects carried out
by a team of 22 volunteers and 80 Haitians:
- Emergency access to drinking water, hygiene and sanitation : installation
of drinking water distribution points which provide at least 5 litres
of water per person per day, rehabilitation of existing infrastructure,
decontamination of water points, construction of latrines, showers,
hand basins, and waste pits, hygiene awareness sessions, distribution
of hygiene kits, setting up local water and hygiene committees, in
Port au Prince, Petit Goave and Grand Goave.
- Waste management: waste collection, canal cleaning and drainage
campaigns (which are particularly necessary during the rainy season),
distribution of waste management kits, in Port au Prince.
- Distribution of plastic tarpaulins to 5000 stricken families in
Petit Goave and Grand Goave.
- Agricultural revival: distribution of essential products, bean seeds
and goats, setting up a seed bank and 10 community nurseries, training
in agriculture, breeding and agro-forestry techniques to preserve
water and soil, building drying areas and silos, reforestation, rehabilitation
of a mountain road, training and support for a veterinary auxiliary
system. These projects are targeting a total of 5300 families in Petit
Goave.
(The construction and drainage activites are being carried out by
the camp populations, who are paid for their work, to assist the revival
of the household economy.)
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL’s activities in Haiti are carried
out in coordination and complementarity with the other humanitarian
organisations present in the country.
The international summits in New York on March 31st, 2010 and in Punta
Cana (Dominican Republic) on June 2nd announced that aid budgets would
be allocated first to meet unrelieved emergency needs, then to commence
reconstruction. These commitments must be honoured for Haiti and her
population, both during the emergency phase and on a long-term basis.
Today, as the shelters initially provided are already at the mercy
of the elements, it is essential and necessary that a reconstruction
and relocation plan, as well as directions for its application, be laid
out, to enable humanitarian organisations including SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL
to take appropriate and responsible action, as part of a comprehensive
plan.
Press contacts:Constance Decorde (communication officer):
01 80 21 05 91 / 06 33 13 04 99 - Email: cdecorde@solidarites.org
Haiti: President
Sarkozy, the emergency continues, and we must
increase our aid for over one million Haitians who have lost everything
17 February 2010
Contrary to certain peremptory declarations that the emergency is over
and that reconstruction has commenced, over one million Haitians who
have lost their homes and are camping in the rubble are well aware that
the humanitarian emergency is still very real today.
This situation is unfortunately set to continue until essential reconstruction
work enables them to resettle in new homes. In the meantime, these Haitians
have great needs: especially shelter, drinking water, food, and hygiene.
In addition, the approaching rainy season will increase the risk of
subsidence due to water infiltration, and worsen sanitary conditions.
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, an international humanitarian organization with
several years of experience in Haiti, is supplying drinking water to
over 50,000 Haitians in Port au Prince, distributing essential commodities
(plastic tarpaulins, soap, jerry cans…), building showers and
installing latrines which are a priority. We are also working on the
indispensable management of solid waste.
Alain Boinet, Managing Director of SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, declares:
« we call upon the French authorities, the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and in particular the Centre de Crise, to mobilize all
the additional means which are necessary to support the emergency humanitarian
action of NGOs like SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL. We also invite the general public to
support SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, from emergency action to reconstruction, to help
the Haitian population to emerge from the tragic situation in which
has been plunged. »
To help the Haitian quake survivors today, please send your
donations to « SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL – mission Haïti
» at the address below or on our website www.solidarites.org
Press contacts:
Constance Decorde (Communication officer) : 01 80 21 05
91 / 06 33 13 04 99 - Email: cdecorde@solidarites.org
Alain Boinet (Managing director): 06 82 59 29 07
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL:
the quake victims that we are helping in Haiti
need the generous support
of the French general public
4 February 2010
The international humanitarian aid organization SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is at this very moment distributing drinking water, in Port au Prince,
to the survivors of the terrible earthquake on January 12th.
Our team in Port au Prince is made up of 10 specialist volunteers (head
of mission, logistician, specialists in emergency water and sanitation
installations…), backed up by experienced Haitians who have already
worked with us for several years.
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL has installed 18 flexible drinking water tanks,
20 drinking water distribution ramps with taps, and 5 motor-pumps. This
equipment enables us to supply 30,000 survivors living in makeshift
camps with drinking water on a daily basis (150,000 litres), in the
Bourdon, Delmas and Peguy ville districts of Port au Prince.
Moreover, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL will respond to emergency sanitation
and hygiene needs through the construction, rehabilitation and drainage
of latrines, and the disinfection and lime washing of makeshift toilet
areas. The aim is to prevent epidemics and waterborne diseases due to
contaminated water.
In order to support this vital action for earthquake survivors, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL makes an urgent appeal for donations to « SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL – mission Haïti », which will be converted into
immediate aid. All donations will be directly allocated to Haiti. Without
the support of the general public, our emergency action in Haiti might
not be able to meet urgent needs.
To provide aid for Haitian earthquake survivors today, please send
your donations to « SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL – mission
Haïti » at the address below or via our website www.solidarites.org
Press contacts:
Constance Decorde (Communication officer): 01 80 21 05 91 / 06 33 13
04 99 - Email: cdecorde@solidarites.org
Alain Boinet (Managing director) : 06 82 59 29 07
Appeal
by French NGOs working in Afghanistan to the London Conference on January
28th: Humanitarian aid is not a weapon of war
22 January 2010
The French NGOs who actively assist the Afghan population, and have
done so in some cases for 30 years, are extremely concerned by the deteriorating
situation in Afghanistan, despite the progress which has been made.
The situation has deteriorated on a regular basis, from conference
to conference, since the Bonn conference in November 2001. We are afraid
that the London conference on January 28th will be the umpteenth conference
without any tangible results. Today, everyone agrees that there can
be no military solution. We urge the Afghan government and the international
community to take courageous decisions in favor of reconstruction and
development.
The Afghan people need aid and development to curb poverty, and greater
justice to restore confidence in the present and the future. They need
friends who understand their history, their culture, their religion,
their way of life, their expectations, and who respect all of these,
rather than peremptory advisors who contradict one another.
Moreover, the French humanitarian NGOs ask the London conference to
respect their principles and methods of action, based upon impartiality
and the scrupulous assessment of the population’s vital needs,
throughout Afghanistan.
The French humanitarian NGOs ask that the allocation of aid for humanitarian
assistance should not be guided by political or military motives, but
solely on humanitarian grounds. Humanitarian aid is not a weapon of
war.
The French humanitarian NGOs in Afghanistan ask the insurgents, the
Afghan army and the NATO forces to respect the impartiality of our humanitarian
action to assist populations in need, throughout Afghanistan.
NGO signatories: ACF, ACTED, Action Droits de l'homme,
Afghanistan Demain, AFRANE, EMDH, MADERA, Médecins du Monde, Mères
pour la paix, MRCA, Solidarité laïque, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL,
Sport sans frontières, URD.
Haiti:
our solidarity must measure up to their suffering
15 January 2010
Tens of thousands dead. Two million people living in the rubble. Essential
infrastructures destroyed, basic services decimated, economic activity
and jobs paralysed. The Haitian people is in danger and our solidarity
must measure up to their suffering, which is extreme.
Previously active in Haiti for several years (2005 – 2007), SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL
is sending an emergency team to the disaster zone to assist the survivors
by providing them with water and sanitation, food aid and essential
products, for those who have lost everything in the earthquake.
“Whilst this earthquake is first and foremost a tragedy for each
person and family affected, it is also much more deadly, in proportion
to the total population, than the tsunami which hit South East Asia
5 years ago”, declares Alain Boinet, Managing Director of SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL.
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL calls for an exceptional level of solidarity to first of
all save lives, then to provide food and water, and finally to participate
in the reconstruction of basic services, in close cooperation with the
stricken populations.
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL has launched a special appeal for donations: “SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL
– mission Haïti”, which will materialize as immediate
aid with all donations being directly allocated to this mission.
To help the Haitian population today, please send your donations to
“SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL – mission Haïti” at the address
below, or make an online donation on our website www.solidarites.org
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, which was created 30 years ago, carried out 127 aid programmes
in 13 countries during 2008, providing relief for around 3.5 million
people through the dedication of 178 expatriate volunteers and 1800
local employees.
Press contacts:
Constance Decorde (Communication officer): 01 80 21 05 91 / 06 33 13
04 99 - Email: cdecorde@solidarites.org
Alain Boinet (Managing director) : 06 82 59 29 07
In
Copenhagen, to meet the pressing climate emergency,
the decisions taken must measure up to the risks
26 November 2009
Climate change is already in motion and the populations of many countries
are already facing this reality on a violent and regular basis, especially
in poor countries affected by armed conflict or natural disaster. As
a reminder, the number of climate-related disasters (drought, flooding,
cyclones…) has increased five-fold over the last 30 years.
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, an international humanitarian organization, is
confronted by climate change on a daily basis in many countries. For
example:
In Shatkira district in Bangladesh, where the population
mainly lives off fishing and food-producing agriculture, flooding, cyclones
and rising sea levels regularly destroy homes, infrastructure and growing
areas. To prevent several million people from swelling the ranks of
“climate refugees” in the capital city of Dacca, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is working to improve living conditions and sanitary facilities, whilst
supporting subsistence activities affected by salt-water land pollution.
In the Corn of Africa, where droughts are more and
more frequent, agro-pastoral communities are no longer able to cope
with successive periods of drought. When livestock can no longer survive
climate conditions and harvests plummet by over 75% - as is the case
in arid areas of North Kenya this year – the very livelihood of
these communities is on the edge of collapse. SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is
working to support the subsistence activities of affected communities,
to enable them to adapt to a more and more hostile climate.
Faced with these cruel realities, Alain Boinet, Managing Director of SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, declares that: “The countdown has started
for hundreds of millions of human beings, whose lives are already threatened
today. In Copenhagen, the Governments must take their full responsibility
for individual and public security, and the French authorities should
set an example. This is urgent. A disappointing outcome would be very
dangerous.”
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, a humanitarian aid organization specialized in
emergency relief and reconstruction, carried out 127 aid programs in
15 countries for 3.4 million people last year. These programs targeted
the following areas: access to drinking water and sanitation, food security
and reconstruction of infrastructures.
Press contact: Constance Decorde: 01 80 21 05
91 - cdecorde@solidarites.org
East
Chad: one member of a SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL humanitarian
convoy killed on the border with Darfur
10 November 2009
On Saturday November 7, whilst a SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL team was travelling
in a minibus North of Ade (East Chad, on the border with Darfur, Sudan)
to commence construction work on a well, six armed men opened fire on
the vehicle without warning. The driver, Adoum Makaila, died from his
wounds at Ade hospital. The other team members present in the vehicle
are safe and sound.
In the face of this tragic loss, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL presents its sincere
condolences to Adoum Makaila’s family and friends, and is deeply
outraged by this appalling act of violence. We call upon the Chadian
authorities to take all the necessary measures to investigate this major
incident, and to prosecute and sentence the attackers.
The recrudescence of insecurity and banditry is a continual and serious
threat to the civilian population and humanitarian workers in Eastern
Chad. This murder is the latest in a string of recurrent acts of violence
against our teams, and we are now obliged to suspend our humanitarian
activities in rural areas around Ade. Over 15000 people will no longer
receive our assistance.
Present in East Chad since March 2008, the international humanitarian
organisation SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL carries out drinking water access and
sanitation programmes to meet the vital needs of resident and displaced
populations.
Press contacts: Constance Decorde : 00 33 (0)1 80 21 05 91 -
Email: cdecorde@solidarites.org
World
Food Day: SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL calls for urgent mobilisation to meet
the enormous challenge of hunger worldwide
8 October 2009
On the occasion of World Food Day on October 16th, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, an international humanitarian organisation which has been providing
aid to victims of armed conflict and natural disasters for 29 years,
stresses the importance of helping populations suffering from hunger
to restore their self-sufficiency, in addition to the provision of emergency
aid.
According to the latest FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) figures,
1.02 billion people suffer from hunger in the world today (1 in 6 people).
This figure rose by almost 105 million in 2009, mainly due to the economic
crisis, and it is likely to continue to rise over the next 40 years,
in particular due to global warming and its negative impact on agricultural
yields. In Africa, Asia and Latin America, these yields could decline
by 20 to 40% if effective adaptation measures are not taken. Moreover,
according to the latest FAO projections, agricultural production will
have to increase by 70% to feed the additional 2.3 billion people who
will join the ranks of the world population by 2050…
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL provides relief for vulnerable populations and
communities by distributing emergency food aid. In 2008, we distributed
970,000 food rations in Darfur, representing 11,378 tons of food aid.
Likewise, in Afghanistan, where 50% of the population suffers from chronic
malnutrition due to lack of variety in their diet, we distributed lentils,
beans etc. to 3,700 targeted families in Roy Doab district. SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL also distributes food to populations displaced by armed conflict, for
example in Central African Republic where our teams provided food aid
(cereals, corn-soya blend, oil, sugar, salt…) to over 5,300 people
fleeing the violence along the route between Ndele and Ngarba (July
– August 2009).
Emergency food distributions could never permanently curb the rising
number of malnourished individuals in the world. Those who are hungry
must be helped so that they can provide for their own food needs. It
is therefore necessary to define longer-term support strategies. This
is the objective of our teams in Kenya, where there is a severe drought.
In the northern district of Turkana (the poorest area of the country
where 64% of the population live beneath the poverty line), we are carrying
out a multi-disciplinary programme targeting 21,500 members of isolated
agro-pastoral communities living on arid and semi-arid land (improving
access to water, support for fishing and animal-breeding). The aim is
to protect the food resources of these communities through appropriate
action.
For SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, World Food Day on October 16th is an opportunity
to increase awareness about the enormous challenge posed by hunger worldwide,
and to take action to meet this challenge, which we are determined to
do.
Our food security experts are available for interviews. To find out
more about SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL’ actions in the food security
field: http://www.solidarites.org.
Press contacts: Constance Decorde:
01 80 21 05 91 - Email: cdecorde@solidarites.org
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL reacts to the drought emergency in North Kenya
September 18, 2009
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, an international humanitarian
organisation present in Kenya since January 2007, is set to carry out
a drinking water supply operation by truck, for over 21600 people severely
affected by the drought which has hit the country.
Kenya is currently affected by a fifth bad rainy season in a row, which
has caused severe drought, especially in the arid and semi-arid regions
in the North.
This drought has already killed over 100,000 head of cattle (an essential
source of revenue for the Kenyan population) throughout the country,
and is now also threatening the survival of the population, especially
nomadic and semi-nomadic groups.
This year, in Chalbi district (North Kenya), where SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL teams
are working, estimated rainfall between April and June was only 20%
of the normal average. The average quantity of water available per person
per day in the east of this district is 2.5 litres. Families now have
to make twenty kilometer journeys to find water, whereas in June they
only had to travel 8 km. For cattle to be watered, the average journey
has increased from 22 to 55 km…
In response to this situation, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is launching emergency actions
to meet the basic, vital needs of affected populations, until the rains
which are due in mid-October… We will be supplying drinking water
by truck for over 21600 people at five sites in Chalbi district: Forolle,
Burgabo, Turbi, Dosa Wachu and Hurri Hills. Over and above our humanitarian
action, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL wishes to alert public opinion and mobilise
all available means to immediately respond to the huge water needs in
North Kenya, for both men and cattle.
Press contacts: Constance Decorde: +331 80 21 05
91 - Email: cdecorde@solidarites.org
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL
opens a new mission in Zimbabwe
8 June 2009
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, an international humanitarian aid organisation, opens a
new mission in Zimbabwe to fight hunger among the poorest of the poor.
In Zimbabwe, a country which has collapsed and where the humanitarian
situation is constantly deteriorating, 80% of the population survives
on less than one dollar a day. For 75% of the population, international
aid is the only source of food, even though this land was previously
one of the granaries of Africa. In Zimbabwe today, life expectancy is
one of the lowest in the world, between 35 and 40 years according to
the WHO, while inflation rates topped 231 million % in July 2008 (before
the US dollar was adopted to replace the Zimbabwean dollar)! To make
the situation worse, a cholera epidemic, largely due to dilapidated
infrastructure, has left over 4000 dead since the end of 2008.
To provide a lasting response to these needs during this exceptionally
difficult period, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is due to commence a food security and
economic revival program from July 1st, 2009 onwards. This program will
be carried out in Kadoma (140km to the South-West of the capital city,
Harare) and will target those living in urban and urban-fringe areas
with no access to land and therefore no revenue. It entails setting
up « family vegetable plots », together with distribution
of tools, technical support and horticultural training… to enable
around 5200 people to gain access to a means of subsistence.
In parallel, by building irrigation wells (to serve the family vegetable
plots), these vulnerable populations will receive a minimum level of
revenue (through a « cash for work » program) so that they
may be able to meet their basic food needs.
Press contact: Constance Decorde: 01 80 21 05 91 - Courriel: cdecorde@solidarites.org
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL
denounces its expulsion from Darfur
5 May 2009
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL denies the allegations made by the Sudanese authorities
to justify its expulsion from Darfur (failure to respect the rules governing
humanitarian aid in Sudan, undermining national security and collaboration
with the International Criminal Court). Moreover, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL denounces
the conditions under which it was expelled by the Sudanese authorities,
as was the case for 12 other international NGOs and 3 Sudanese NGOs,
and fears that there will be serious consequences for the population
of Darfur, who have been suddenly deprived of assistance.
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL was expelled from Darfur by the Sudanese authorities on
March 4th, 2009, following the International Criminal Court’s
decision to issue an arrest warrant for the Sudanese president on charges
of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.
It is the vulnerable population of Darfur who will be the first victims,
as a result of the expulsion of these NGOs which represented around
half the volume of international aid in this region.
As a reminder, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL had been present in Darfur for 4 years,
with 42 expatriate and 320 Sudanese aid workers. We provided aid to
300,000 people, both displaced persons and resident populations, in
the fields of drinking water and sanitation, food aid and essential
commodities, as well as support for agriculture, animal breeding and
education. Today, we are very concerned about the fate of these populations.
We would also like to denounce the conditions of our expulsion: all
of our property was seized, representing a value of 1.2 million euros,
our offices were occupied, three members of our team were held for over
one month, their passports were confiscated and they were threatened.
Finally, according to a unilateral decree, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL was obliged to
pay 6 times more compensation than normal.
We denounce the political instrumentalisation of humanitarian aid in
Darfur. SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is still active in this region, in South Sudan,
Chad and Central African Republic, and is ready to respond to any new
emergencies. We reaffirm the principles of impartial humanitarian aid,
based only on the vital needs of populations, and of independence.
Press contacts: Constance Decorde : +33 1 80 21 05 91 – Email
: cdecorde@solidarites.org
To find out more about SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL : www.solidarites.org
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL - 50 rue Klock 92110 Clichy-la-Garenne
Tel : +33 1 80 21 05 05 / Fax : +33 1 80 21 05 99
Appeal
to journalists: Unsafe drinking water kills
more people in the world today than war!
11 March 2009
8 million deaths* per year on the one hand, and on the other 500,000
deaths on average due to armed conflicts! This is the tragic reality,
a tidal wave of silent deaths. To fight against this tragedy, the general
public must be made fully aware of the situation, in order to put pressure
on political decision-makers, and this is not really the case.
According to a survey carried out for SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, only 1% of our fellow
citizens are aware that unsafe drinking water is the number one cause
of death in the world.
In the run up to World Water Day and the World Water Forum in Istanbul
from March 16th to 22nd, we are offering the opportunity for journalists
to interview hydraulic engineers working on one of the 16 SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL
humanitarian missions (in Afghanistan, Chad, D.R. Congo…).
Among our humanitarian missions is Sudan, from which we have just been
expelled by President Omar Al Bechir, where we had been providing drinking
water and sanitation, food aid and essential commodities on a daily
basis to 300,000 people in Darfur.
Alain Boinet, director general and founder of SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL declares:
« public awareness is an essential prelude and a determining
factor to mobilize the resources required to reverse the tide of deaths
due to water-borne diseases during humanitarian crises, and journalists
have an essential role to play in informing the general public about
this issue. »
*L’Eau. Michel Camdessus. Robert Laffont. 2004.
We are available to answer your questions today.
Press contact: Constance Decorde –
01 80 21 05 91 or cdecorde@solidarites.org
For further information about SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, please visit www.solidarites.org
SUDAN: SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is a victim of an expulsion order from the Sudanese
authorities, causing the interruption of vital humanitarian aid for
the population in Darfur.
5 March 2009
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL was informed of its expulsion by the Sudanese
authorities on Wednesday March 4th. Its offices were sealed up, its
bank accounts were blocked and all of its equipment was seized (vehicles,
computers, drilling machine…).
This decision also affects ten other international NGOs who together
represent 70% of humanitarian aid (that is, relief for 1.5 million people)
in the Darfur region. These expulsions will have grave consequences
for these populations whose survival depends on international assistance.
Indeed, from our bases in Khartoum, Nyala, Muhadjeria, Seleah, Shaeria,
Kutrum, Nertiti, Golo, El Daein and Adila, the SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL team in Darfur (42 expatriates and 320 Sudanese) provides aid for 300,000
people in terms of water and sanitation, food products and essential
commodities. In one year, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL distributed 480,507 food
rations, representing a total of 8,663 tons of food.
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL strongly emphasizes its principles, in particular
the provision of impartial aid on the sole basis of the populations’
humanitarian needs, whilst retaining full independence. Indeed, and
despite the assertions made by certain Sudanese media, we do not have
any working relationship whatsoever with the International Criminal
Court.
Finally, we call upon the Sudanese authorities to ensure the security
of our team members in Sudan, both expatriates and Sudanese employees.
We also call upon them to reconsider their decision, in order to enable
vital humanitarian aid to continue for populations in danger.
Press contacts:
Constance Decorde +33 1 80 21 05 91
Email: CDecorde@solidarites.org
D.
R. Congo, Eastern province: over 600 people massacred since Christmas;
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL calls for the area to be protected to enable humanitarian
organisations to reach civilian populations.
9 February 2009
The wave of violence and bloodshed in Haut Uele district (Eastern province
of D. R. Congo) since Christmas has spread terror throughout the region
(over 600 people massacred and over 400 people abducted, most of whom
are children). Humanitarian organisations are having to work in a highly
volatile context, which makes it very difficult to reach populations
in need.
According to observers, attacks perpetrated by Ugandan rebels from
the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) have multiplied since September
2008: exactions, looting, torching villages, abductions, massacres of
civilians. Since the joint military operation by Ugandan, Congolese
and South Sudanese troops was launched on December 14 to neutralise
the perpetrators of violence and atrocities against the Congolese population,
the violence has intensified. These attacks have forced terrified families
to flee, mainly to nearby villages, but also to neighbouring regions
in South Sudan and Uganda. To date, over 130,000 people are displaced
within the Haut Uele district, many of whom are suffering from trauma
and are still hiding in bush areas. The local populations are in a state
of shock following the atrocities committed.
In mid-January, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, one of the few humanitarian organisations
working in this region, carried out needs assessments in the areas between
Watsa and Faradje, which have come under heavy fire over the last few
weeks. The situation of the local population is worsening every day,
the area has not been sufficiently secured and new attacks are reported
daily.
These assessments, which were carried out by the SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL RRM team
(Rapid Response Mechanism), in partnership with UNICEF, sought to measure
population movements in the region together with their needs in terms
of health, sanitation, and protection, since insecurity is the main
cause of vulnerability among civilian populations living in this area.
Following these recent assessments, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is acting in the first
instance as the principal source of information for the humanitarian
community, and makes an urgent appeal for civilian populations to be
protected. Before humanitarian relief can be envisaged in such a dangerous
area, the situation must be carefully studied to make sure that the
essential principle of « not harming » populations receiving
humanitarian aid can be upheld (aid distributions can cause envy among
militia groups and thereby result in a new round of attacks). Then and
only then, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL’ teams recommend the following actions:
targeted food distributions, distribution of essential survival products,
and emergency water and sanitation activities for resident and displaced
populations.
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL, an international humanitarian aid organisation, has been
working in DRC for over 8 years with a team of 60 expatriate volunteers
and 800 Congolese employees. The NGO provides aid for the most vulnerable
groups through over 20 humanitarian programmes in three regions: Ituri/Haut
Uele (Eastern Province), North Kivu and Katanga.
Press contacts: Alain BOINET – 06 82 59 29 07
Constance Decorde 01 80 21 05 91
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