Appeal Target: US$ 826,589

Returning Burundian populations from neighboring countries require specific support during the return process and in the initial phase of settlement. ACT members in Burundi: CNEB (Conseil National des Eglises du Burundi), LWF (Lutheran World Federation), Burundi Programme and the Province of the Anglican Church in Burundi have come together to respond and assist critical populations in vulnerable situations in a number of provinces in Burundi receiving large numbers of returnees.

The returnees need varying kinds of assistance, and can be loosely classified into the three categories of facilitated repatriates, spontaneous repatriates, and expellees. The facilitated returnees under the UNHCR auspices are given food, non-food items, and 50,000 BIF (US$45). However, the spontaneous returnees and the expellees do not receive this assistance package and are in greatest need of external assistance. Persons in these categories typically arrive in Burundi empty handed with hardly anything to help them to restart their lives. There is no substantial assistance provided to them and they are living in extreme conditions of poverty.  According to testimonies by the expellees interviewed by ACT members in Burundi, some expelled persons were threatened, beaten and had their property looted. They claim to have been forcefully evicted from their homes and many of them say they have left part of their families in Tanzania.  It is these case loads that members of ACT in Burundi will provide humanitarian aid through this appeal in the sectors of food, seeds, shelter, provision of non-food items and other support to vulnerable population groups in Burundi. This appeal will run for a period of  six months ending January 2009.

Names of ACT members:

• CNEB (Conseil National des Eglises du Burundi/National Council of Churches of Burundi)
• LWF (Lutheran World Federation), Burundi Programme
• Province of the Anglican Church in Burundi

Project Completion Dates:

31 December 2008 (CNEB & LWF)
31 January 2009 (Province of the Anglican Church in Burundi)

Reporting schedule:

Summary of Appeal Targets, Pledges/Contributions Received and Balance Requested: 

Signed by:

John Nduna
Director, ACT Co-ordinating Office