DRC Refugees Start A Better Life In Southern Rwanda
Published on 22 May 2014

Perus with her children in Mugombwa camp.
Over 7,000 refugees from the Democratic of Congo (DRC) have seen their
living conditions improve after staying in the Nkamira transit centre
for the last two years. In April, they moved to Mugombwa camp in
Southern Rwanda and although they remain dependent on WFP food
assistance their life has got better.
MUGOMBWA, Rwanda: Perus Nyirakavange, 60, is a mother of three who
fled DRC after witnessing her relatives being killed."We spent a whole
night walking in the bush coming to the border. My children were
hungry and crying every time. I was thinking that although we escaped
the bullets we had not escaped hunger."
"But the following day we crossed the border and entered Rwanda, where
WFP gave us food, including High energy biscuits and water. I don't
have appropriate words to express my thanks to WFP for their support
since I arrived in Rwanda. Only God knows their gratitude." she added
After one year in Nkamira transit centre, Perus and her family have
recently moved to Mugombwa refugee camp. Like many parents in the
camp, Perus says that she no longer worries about food for her
children as she benefits from the monthly WFP food distribution which
includes cereals, pulses, vegetable oil and salt.
To counter increasing malnutrition rates, WFP is also providing
specialised foods both to treat and prevent undernutrition among women
and young children. Supplementary food is provided to children under
two years of age, as well as to pregnant and breastfeeding women to
protect them from any deterioration in their nutritional status.
Evidence has shown that chronic undernutrition during the first 1,000
days of life leads to irreversible damage later in life. Specialised
nutritional products including sugar, fortified blended foods and oil
are given to young children between two and five years of age with
moderate acute malnutrition as well as those people living with HIV
who are on antiretroviral therapy.
In the next few weeks construction of kitchens will be complete at
primary schools within the refugee camps, enabling WFP to provide
mid-morning porridge to children attending school. The meal provides a
powerful incentive for children to attend school, raising overall
enrollment rates. And with full bellies, these young students can
better concentrate on their studies.
Rwanda is a home to 73,000 refugees, mainly from eastern DRC. For many
there is little immediate hope of returning home since eastern DRC is
still characterised by continued insecurity. Eliezer Musoni, 72, fled
from Rutshuru in eastern DRC two years ago. He was an ordinary farmer
who lost his land and home when the armed conflict resumed in early
2012. He smiles as he talks about the new home he shares with his five
children and three grandchildren.
"When I was told about WFP food assistance for our stay in exile in
Rwanda, I felt as if someone had taken the heavy luggage off my back
as I struggle to climb a high mountain. My family is happy and we are
ready to start a new life in the new camp here. Nkamira was too
congested and we had no breathing space which could result in
diseases, I had lost hope but now I'm quite relieved."
Over the last year 2013, WFP has provided over 17,000 metric tons of
food commodities to over 178,000 vulnerable people. These include
refugee camp residents who received full monthly food ration, school
children from more food insecure areas and Rwandans voluntarily
repatriated from neighboring countries who receive a three month food
basket to help them reintegrate into the society. WFP is continuously
looking at ways to improve assistance particularly through
innovations.
http://www.google.ca/gwt/x?gl=CA&hl=en-CA&u=http://www.wfp.org/stories/refugees-drc-start-improved-living-conditions-southern-rwanda&source=s&q=DRC+Refugees+Start+A+Better+Life+In+Southern+Rwanda&sa=X&ei=5IJ-U83vNpPjsASe-YAw&ved=0CCEQFjAA
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SIBOMANA Jean Bosco
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