Posted by Greg Shaw on Jan 11, 2012 - 11:43 AM
![Democratic Republic of Congo refugees at Kiziba camp volunteer their time to beautify the common area in their neighborhood, November 2011. [State Department photo by Greg Shaw/Public Domain]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0109_drc_refugees_m.jpg)
The U.S. government, through the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), is proud to partner with Rwanda's Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs, UNHCR Rwanda, the World Food Program (WFP), and ARC to support protection and assistance for refugees in Rwanda. Aside from its contributions through UNHCR, PRM has been providing significant direct funding (in FY11 the grant was $ 1.7 million) to ARC to facilitate the provision of water, hygiene, and construction services in Gihembe, Nyabiheke, and Kiziba refugee camps, as well as gender-based violence prevention and response, and health and nutrition services in Gihembe and Nyabiheke camps. The United States, through USAID's Food for Peace Program, is also a major contributor of food aid to WFP to ensure the adequate supply of food rations to refugees in Rwanda, and PRM made a cash contribution in 2011 to help rectify food pipeline breaks. Through a PRM Julia Taft Fund project via U.S. Embassy Kigali, funding was also provided to ARC to implement a poultry raising income generation project for widows and other vulnerable refugees in Gihembe Camp.
PRM looks forward to continued partnerships in 2012 and significant financial support in all three camps. During several PRM monitoring visits to Rwanda's refugee camps in 2011, certain pressing needs, such as improving the camp's water pumping station and dealing with the rapidly deepening ravines caused by erosion of the hillside, were highlighted and we look forward to working with the Rwandan government, UNHCR, ARC, and other partners to address these needs in 2012.
Finally, an exciting technology that we have been discussing with UNHCR and ARC involves the introduction of low cost "solar light" bulbs crafted from empty plastic soda bottles inserted into iron sheeted roofs. On any clear day, these solar light bulbs, which cost only a few dollars each to create, refract natural light and channel the equivalent of 55 watts of electrical light into a school, health center, or residential structure. ARC intends to initiate a pilot project to install these solar bulbs in the larger structures in Kiziba refugee camp that we hope will provide low-cost illumination for school children, doctors, and patients. Our continued support to these camps in Rwanda helps improve the lives of refugees until a durable solution to their displacement can be found.
You can follow the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration on Facebook.
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Comments
Marc in Spain writes:
I believe that all these actions are fine, but I also think that there really is no interest for Africa to evolve
Thanks
Marc M.
Posted on Thu Jan 12, 2012
I believe that all these actions are fine, but I also think that there really is no interest for Africa to evolve
Thanks
Marc M.
Posted on Thu Jan 12, 2012
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