Our mission in the Central African Republic:
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SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL: our humanitarian action in the Central African Republic
Post-emergency programmes
Programme to improve food security, access to drinking water, and sanitation for the population of Ouham
The displaced persons camp, which was established following the conflict between rebel groups and the governmental forces at Kabo, is becoming a permanent fixture. This is hindering the population from returning to their villages.
In this post-emergency context, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL is present in the densely populated areas around Kabo in order to support the recovery of economic activities and the re-structuring of the rural environment, whilst continuing to monitor the humanitarian situation.
Location: District of Ouham, subdivision of Kabo, Middle Sido and Bantangafo
Number of aid recipients: 26,000 people (5,200 households)
- Reinforcement of the rural environment: Support for food production and market gardens to improve food security and household economics: distribution of agricultural raw materials, farming kits, technical farm training and implementation of a food safety monitoring system.
- Access to water and sanitation:development of new water sources and hygiene reinforcement measures:
Construction and reconstruction of 8 water sources, equipping forty water sources with pumping systems, hygiene promotion and awareness sessions, implementation of bacteriological monitoring, creation and support for twenty water management committees, training repair technicians to manage and maintain hydraulic infrastructure.
Assisting vulnerable populations and improving their living conditions
Isolated from the central government, the Bamingui-Bangoran district epitomizes the structural and economic problems of the CAR. Rural populations have very little access to operational public services, and the recent security issues have only compounded their vulnerability.
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL activities are a direct response to the population’s primary concerns. These activities enable waterborne illnesses to be curbed through improved access to drinking water and sanitation facilities. They have also improved food security through access to services and agricultural raw materials. At the end of the project, all recipient villages will have access to sufficient clean water supplies and sufficient agricultural production.
Location: Baminiqui-Bangoran district, community of Dar el Kouti, Ndélé town and along the Ndélé-Ngarba axis. Because of security issues, this programme has been relocated to the lower half of the Ndélé-Ngarba axis, which is 120 km long.
Number of aid recipients: 14,000 (4,714 direct aid recipients resident in sixteen villages south of the Ndélé-Ngarba axis; in addition 9,000 inhabitants of Ndélé town will benefit indirectly from the activity).
- Food Security: improvement of the technical and economic performance of food-production systems: distribution of agricultural raw materials in order increase farmers growing capacities; construction and reconstruction of shops to
 provide storage space for farmers; pilot project to test and promote innovations; training of group members.
- Water and sanitation: construction and installation of fifteen new water sources, construction of water and sanitation facilities in public establishments: latrines, water fountains in schools, shower areas in 5 health centers, hygiene awareness sessions near public establishments and in villages covered by the project.
- Training: Local organizations receive training in order to manage the new facilities and to offer quality services to growers and users. This includes technical training in economical management and stock management, creation of water management committees and training in management of water facilities, training of hygiene officers in villages covered by the project and public establishments.
Food Security
Support project for rice growing and fish farming
Rice and fish are the essential foodstuffs for the populations of CAR. Central Africans have developed adaptation strategies to revive the local economy. They have managed to create shallows for aquaculture and rice growing, but insufficient resources have made it difficult to obtain satisfying results.
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL has strengthened food security and participated in the fight against rural poverty by working with professional agricultural organizations and two local NGOs to support the revival of fish farming and rice growing.
Location: Northwestern CAR, the Ouham Pende district, town of Bozoum and outskirts of the town of Bangui.
 Number of aid recipients: groups of rice producers (six hundred working families, 3000 people) and forty working fish farmers of Bangui and Bozoum (around 200 people).
- Improvement of economic performance: support for fifteen groups of rice farmers and forty working fish farmers, recruitment and training of consultants, reinforcement of two local partner NGOs (Echelle and Caritas CAR); organization of a committee to pilot the project; review of fish farming techniques and a proposal for new models of fish farming better adapted to the environment; training and monitoring techniques of working fish farmers; innovations in breeding facilities and systems; acquisition of infrastructures and materials; support for groups and cooperatives supplying raw materials and services to rice growers.
Support for populations suffering from food vulnerability
This project will meet the basic needs of the population by facilitating and securing access to means of production.
Location: Bamingui Banoran district – community of Dar El Kouti
Number of aid recipients: 14,000 people (4,714 direct aid recipients resident in sixteen villages south of the Ndélé-Ngarba axis; in addition 9,000 inhabitants of Ndélé town will benefit indirectly from the activity).
- Improvement of agricultural techniques: Purchase and distribution of appropriate agricultural raw materials: early seasonal planting to facilitate harvests and yields; training and support for the local farmers; training in agro-pastoral techniques; pilot project to test and promote innovations; establishment of anti-flood ditches and compost pits to reduce surface soil erosion, improvement of cultivation methods to increase production.
Food distribution along the NDélé/Ngarba axis (following the events of January 2009)
 Following armed conflict between government troops (FACA) and the CPJP opposition group (Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace) which broke out between Ndélé and Ngarba in January 2009, the majority of the population fled their villages and took refuge either in the bush or across the border in neighbouring Chad.
Location: Ndélé/Ngarba axis (from Sokumba to Ngarba inclusive)
Number of aid recipients: 5375 residents along the Ndélé-Ngarba axis
Partial rations were distributed in March to cover the needs of the population for about fifteen days. The plan is for two distributions, followed by a re-evaluation of the situation, and distribution of full rations for April, May and June following the population census. There will be follow-ups after each distribution.
Distribution of food supplies to the most vulnerable individuals in order to facilitate the return to their villages and reduce the effects of the crisis: distribution of complete one-month food rations (cereals, corn-soya blend, pulses, oil, sugar, salt) were carried out for all households present in the area. Prior to this operation, seeds were distributed in order to ensure a substantial harvest and enable the populations to attain a certain level of self-sufficiency.
In September 2009, at the end of this programme, it was observed that these distribution activities had contributed to the population’s return to their home villages.
Water and sanitation
Drinking water supplies along the Ndélé/Ngarba axis
Due to the volatile security situation, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL was not able to return to the north axis. They therefore proceeded with the cleaning of 8 traditional wells on the Ndélé/Ngarba axis, to provide a clean water supply for 4,500 people.
The project was completed at the end of March 2009.
Update: october 2009 |
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