Article – Living in precariousness: the cry of warning from the displaced and victims of the Nyiragongo volcano
At least 200 families displaced and affected following the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano are currently in a precarious situation, in different sites in the Nyarangongo territory (North Kivu). As the seasonal rains approach, these families face an urgent need for food and shelter assistance.
In the Kayembe site, for example, thousands of displaced and affected people desperately need tarpaulins and shelters. Some families were relocated, but those who remained in this site found themselves with aging tarpaulins, incapable of withstanding future bad weather. The consequences could be dramatic if the rains start without adequate assistance being put in place.
Faced with this critical situation, the NGO Action d’Animation pour le Développement des Paysans (ACADEPA) is calling for urgent intervention by the government and its partners. Etienne Bosenibamwe, coordinator of the NGO, underlines the importance of immediate assistance with tarpaulins for the sites of Kayembe, Kanyarutshinya and Kibati, where the displaced are particularly vulnerable.
Joel Ndagana, head of the provincial civil protection service in North Kivu, indicates that humanitarian organizations are being mobilized to provide assistance to these displaced people. He also mentions that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is already planning the distribution of 180 tonnes of food and non-food items, as part of the second European Union airlift.
It is essential that concrete measures are taken quickly to meet the needs of these vulnerable families. The displaced and victims of the Nyiragongo volcano have already suffered terrible ordeals and it is imperative to support them in their reconstruction. Adequate assistance with food, shelter and other essential resources is necessary to ensure their safety and well-being.
In conclusion, the precarious situation of the displaced and victims of the Nyiragongo volcano is a humanitarian emergency which requires immediate intervention. Authorities and humanitarian organizations must work together to provide the necessary resources and ensure the protection of these vulnerable families. It is time to act before the rains worsen an already difficult situation.