Emergency Plan of Action Rwanda: Burundi Refugees

Transcription

1 Emergency Plan of Action Rwanda: Burundi Refugees Emergency Appeal Operation n MDRRW013; Glide n OT RWA Date of issue:18 September, 2015 Date of disaster: 3 April, 2015 Operation manager: Andreas Sandin, Operations Manager IFRC East Africa office, Nairobi Point of contact: Apollinaire Karamaga, Secretary General, Rwanda Red Cross Society. Operation start date: 17 September 2015 Expected timeframe: 10 months (End date: 17 July 2016). Overall operation budget: DREF allocation CHF 58,190; Emergency Appeal CHF 549,020 Number of people affected: 82,900 (including 54,000 camp refugees, 23,000 urban refugees, and 5,900 from Munini host community) Number of people to be assisted: 10,000 people: 7,500 people (1500 households) within the refugee camps & 2,500 people (500 households) within Munini host community around Mahama camp. Host National Society presence (n of volunteers, staff, branches): 80 volunteers, six staff, and six National Disaster Response Team members. Red Cross Red Crescent Movement partners actively involved in the operation : Belgian Red Cross, Danish Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and International Committee of the Red Cross. Other partner organizations actively involved in the operation: ADRA, Africa Humanitarian Action, American Refugee Committee, Care International, Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugees Affairs (MIDMAR), Ministry of Health, PAJER Plan Rwanda, Save the Children, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, United Nations Population Fund, World Food Programme, World Health Organization, and World Vision. A. Situation analysis Description of the disaster It has been more than four months since election violence in Burundi resulted in a number of casualties in the capital of Bujumbura. More than 160,000 people have fled Burundi, seeking safety in the neighbouring countries of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Since April 2015, over 77,000 Burundi nationals have sought refuge in Rwanda due to tension and violence occurring before and after presidential elections held in Burundi in July On 25 April 2015, Burundi s incumbent president announced he would stand for a third term in the elections which took place 21 July 2015; he was re-elected and sworn in on 24 July Mahama camp is located in Rwanda s Eastern Province in Kirehe District (270 km from Kigali), and serves as the only permanent camp hosting Burundian refugees in Rwanda. Three smaller transit camps and dozens of entry points host incoming refugees for a few days at a time, until they can be transported to Mahama. There are over 47,000 refugees in Mahama camp alone. Throughout August there were approximately 150 Burundian refugees arriving in Rwanda per day. There remain ongoing and urgent needs within the entry points, transit camps, and Mahama camp, particularly in hygiene promotion, psychosocial support, beneficiary communication, first aid, protection, and environmental protection. The entry points and transit centers have minimal support from humanitarian agencies. According to UNHCR, there are also more than 20, 000 urban refugees living in Rwanda s capital city Kigali, and other urban centers in eastern Rwanda. All of these refugees have been registered at a designated venue by UNHCR, and the majority are renting houses and rooms within host communities. There are increasing needs amongst the urban refugee population, as they struggle to access markets, healthcare, education and affordable housing. UNHCR recently announced its commitment to begin offering health and education services to this community.

2 P a g e 2 A third group in need, identified by Rwandan Red Cross Society (RRCS), is the host community surrounding Mahama camp, consisting of six small villages which make up Munini (population 5,923 people). Following a needs assessment within this community, RRCS have identified urgent needs in food security, water and sanitation, and violence prevention (considering potential conflict between the host and refugee communities). There are no agencies currently supporting this Munini host community. Due to overcrowded living conditions within Mahama camp and the Munini host community (which the Mahama refugees visit daily for supplies and entertainment), both groups are also at high risk of waterborne diseases and acute water diarrhea (cholera) outbreaks. With the influx of refugees in recent months, the resources within Munini are depleted as the refugees and host community complete for water, firewood, and market supplies. This has led to minor incidents of conflict between the two groups, but has the potential to worsen if not addressed quickly. The initial 50ha of land that the Rwanda Government had allocated to UNHCR had the capacity to host about 25,000 people has already been exceeded with the main camp population recorded at over 44,000 people. An additional 150ha was recently allocated by the government to the UNHCR to expand Mahama camp, and UNHCR is now beginning to build semi-permanent houses, schools and other infrastructure for the refugees, who are expected to stay in Rwanda for many months to come. It is estimated that approximately 70 per cent of the Burundian refugees who arrived in Rwanda in the past five months are women and girls, while an estimated 30 per cent of the total is children under 18 years who are unaccompanied. According to American Refugee Committee (ARC), 20 per cent of all child refugees are said to have a deteriorating nutritional status including cases of malnutrition and anemia in total, there are more than 25,516 children among the Burundian refugee population in Rwanda. Table1: Demographics of Burundian refugees in Rwanda Population grouping Number of population % of total refugee population Children below 18 years 25, Female 26, Male 25, TOTAL 77,206 A similar distribution of refugees like in the entire country is seen in the main refugee camp in Mahama. Children make up 54 per cent of the camp s population and are considered the most vulnerable demographic requiring intensive attention in all interventions, particularly in ensuring supply of required supplementary food to combat malnutrition. Table2: Demographics of Burundian refugees in Mahama Main camp Population grouping Number of population % of refugee population in Mahama Camp Children below 18 years 16, Female 15, Male 15, TOTAL 47,187 Summary of the current response Overview of Host National Society On 8 May 2015, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) released CHF 244,580 to support RRCS respond to the needs of the refugees located in camp settings and at entry points, for a period of three months (until 8 August 2015, which was later extended until 15 September 2015). Activities planned within the DREF operation were supplemented with bilateral funds from the Belgian Red Cross, Danish Red Cross and Spanish Red Cross. The overall strategy of RRCS during this period was to focus on the most urgent needs of incoming refugees from their point of arrival in Rwanda (at dozens of entry points), through the transit camps, and within the permanent camp of Mahama. In the initial months of the response, very few humanitarian actors were offering services in the entry points and transit camps, so RRCS served a crucial role in those areas. Activities focused on first aid, NFI distributions, hygiene promotion, psychosocial support, and family reunification (RFL).

3 P a g e 3 From May through to August 2015, the RRCS has achieved the following through the DREF allocation: Trained 20 volunteers on mobile cinemas delivery. Trained 35 volunteers on First Aid. Provided psycho-social support to the refugee population in Mahama main camp and the transit camps of Nyanza and Gashora. Distributed NFIs and other hygiene and sanitation items such as soap at main and transit camps, and entry points reaching at least 7500 were distributed. Trained 55 volunteers on disaster preparedness and camp management Prepositioned relief stocks at headquarter and provincial offices. Conducted 30 sessions of mobile cinema reaching in two months, sensitising the refugee population on proper use of available water and sanitation facilities as a crucial area for preventing waterborne diseases like Cholera. Overview of Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in country In Rwanda, there exists a strong Movement presence, comprising three Partner National Societies (PNS) (Belgian, Danish and Spanish), which all have permanent offices in Kigali, and have supported RRCS bilaterally over the past few months. The IFRC East Africa and Indian Ocean Islands (EAIOI) regional representation office based in Nairobi, Kenya provides ongoing technical support to RRCS, to support the implementation of the DREF operation mobilized a Regional Disaster Response Team (RDRT) member for two months. On 10 July 2015, a follow up Operational Strategy Call was carried out with colleagues at Geneva, zone and regional level; and it was agreed that following the continuing arrival of refugees into Rwanda, that the DREF operation should transit to an Emergency Appeal (EA) to enable the RRCS to respond to the medium/longer term needs of the affected population, including both refugees and the host communities. From 10 July 2015, while the implementation of the DREF operation has continued, there has been increasing numbers of refugees entering Rwanda (from Burundi) and the identification of emerging needs in host communities surrounding the camps (Refer to Situation analysis / Description of disaster section). On 14 September 2015, an Operational Strategy Call was carried out (given the time that had elapsed between the last call), and given the evolution of the situation, it was agreed that the situation even more necessitates an expanded response through an EA. From September through to December 2015, the Belgian, Danish and Spanish Red Cross Societies are providing bilateral consortium funding to RRCS to continue and somewhat expand the activities included in the DREF operation. RRCS will continue working in the entry points, transit camps, and Mahama camp to provide services in areas of: Health and Care (first aid, psychosocial support, violence prevention); Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion, Shelter and Settlements, as well as the addition of Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods, and a component of Disaster Preparedness and Risk Reduction. Given that the needs of refugees will be met by this consortium funding for the next four months, RRCS is seeking funds through this EA to meet some of the urgent needs of the Munini host community for the next 10 months (September 2015 June 2016), and to continue supporting the Mahama camp activities from January to June This strategy will be explained in more detail in the Operational Strategy and Plan section below. In addition to the support being provided by IFRC and through PNS, the ICRC has supported RRCS with tracing services by assisting 25,000 refugees in Mahama camp and three transit camps with telephone services to be in contact with their family members. Movement Coordination The RRCS and in-country PNSs have regular coordination meetings to discuss the emergency operation and monitor progress and challenges encountered. RRCS openly shares reports with the PNSs on the intervention and this process will continue for the entire operation. This EA was drafted in consultation with those PNSs offering consortium funding for the next four months, to ensure that the most urgent needs of beneficiaries are met for as long as possible. Through this collaboration, RRCS will be able to support the priority needs within the refugee camps and surrounding host communities until at least June Overview of non-rcrc actors in country As of September 2015, there are various organization and agencies present in Rwanda which are all involved in the response. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is coordinating the overall humanitarian

4 P a g e 4 response in collaboration with Rwanda s Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs (MIDMAR), and support from sector lead agencies. An overview of the sector Lead agencies and key humanitarian actors are listed in the Table below. For example, in Mahama camp, World Vision is the Sector Lead for water and sanitation, ARC is the Sector Lead for Health and Nutrition, and ADRA is the Sector Lead for Logistics and Distribution (supported closely be RRCS). In the transit and main Mahama camp, there is also a coordinated interagency response in the areas of refugee registration, distribution of Non-Food Items (NFIs), food rations, transportation from entry points, water and sanitation, health and nutrition, protection, education and shelter. In urban areas, such as the capital Kigali, there are currently no services being offered by humanitarian agencies to the Burundian refugees. Recently, however, UNHCR announced that it will soon begin improving access to health care and education for this target group. The RRCS have observed some of the needs of the Burundian refugees in Kigali, due to refugee visits to the RRCS Headquarters office seeking support and information. In the host community of Munini, surrounding Mahama camp, there are currently no humanitarian agencies offering services to this group in need. Table 3: Overview of key humanitarian actors in Burundian refugee response from April August Entry points Transit Mahama Kigali and urban areas UNHCR UNHCR UNHCR UNHCR MIDMAR ARC Sector lead, ARC Sector lead, MIDMAR Health and Nutrition Health and Nutrition RRCS Plan International Plan International AHA (Africa Sector Lead, Sector Lead, Humanitarian Protection Protection Action Aid) health/referrals AHA (Africa Humanitarian Action Aid) health/referrals Pajer Sector lead, WASH World Vision Sector lead, WASH Adra Rwanda Sector lead, Logistics & Distribution IFRC RRCS RRCS Danish RC IFRC IFRC Spanish RC Danish RC Danish RC Belgian RC Belgian RC Fr. Belgian RC Fr. IFRC Spanish RC Spanish RC ICRC WFP AHA UNICEF WHO Adra Rwanda Sector lead, Logistics & Distribution ICRC UNFPA CARE International UNICEF WHO Oxfam Tear Fund Caritas WFP Munini host Community around Mahama camp Needs analysis, beneficiary selection, risk assessment and scenario planning Based on observations by RRCS in Mahama and the smaller camps, as well as an assessment conducted by Rwanda Red Cross in mid-july 2015 within the Munini host community.this section outlines the needs considered by RRCS to be most urgent. While the needs of urban refugees are existent, neither RRCS nor other agencies have conducted a thorough needs assessment within Kigali. In the below section, Operational Strategy and Plan, this proposal will explain why an urban response is not within the current strategic scope and resource capacity of RRCS.

5 P a g e 5 Needs analysis Health and Care Refugees within Mahama and other camps: While there are international agencies providing basic health care and first aid to refugees in Mahama camp (Sector Lead is ARC), gaps do persist in the health sector. First, there is an urgent logistical need to provide reliable transportation for the referral of emergency patients within Mahama camp. RRCS volunteers are carrying these patients on stretchers on foot, which can take hours to respond to an emergency in the vast camp. A more reliable and efficient means of transportation is needed for these referrals. In addition, there remains a need to provide first aid services to refugees at the entry points, transit centres, and within Mahama camp. RRCS volunteers are equipped and trained to provide these services, and will continue to do so. In the wider camp communities, there remains a need for health promotion messaging, as though there has not yet been any major outbreak of communicable diseases this is a risk considering the high population density in the camps and the inadequacy of water supply. Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) is also a concern for many women, and RRCS has the experience to provide a small number of MHM kits to women and girls within the 1,500 targeted families. RRCS provides community health messaging to refugees through mobile cinemas and at reception centres, but there is a need to expand this dissemination, especially within Mahama camp. Psychosocial support (PSS) is also required, due in part to the long journeys from Burundi, the fear or violence experienced in Burundi, and the separation from family members. Very few agencies are offering PSS, though RRCS volunteers offer basic counselling/welcoming support within the entry points and camps. There is a need to expand PSS, particularly in terms of child protection, with the safe spaces and activities for unaccompanied and/or traumatized children. RRCS has worked with Plan (Protection sector lead) since the beginning of the operation, in order to coordinate the RRCS psychosocial support activities; and is competent with basic PSS and safe space and play activities. Munini host community, around Mahama camp: Though there are fewer health needs within the Munini host community, however there is a growing need to disseminate health messaging on hygiene practices and disease outbreak given the increasing overlap and integration between the host and refugee communities. Through this EA, RRCS plans to integrate monthly mobile cinemas into the activities planned within Munini. Water, Sanitation and hygiene promotion Refugees within Mahama and other camps: For the most part, the water supply needs and sanitation facilities are available for refugees in the camps. Both are provided to refugees by various agencies in the entry points, transit centres, and the main camp in Mahama. RRCS volunteers are active in the distribution of drinking water to new arrivals at the entry points, and the water provided has been tested and proven to be of good quality. With the increasing number of refugees, the quantity of water is low, which has stretched existing water supply structures (and impacted the host community near Mahama, as will be outlined below). There are sufficient latrines within Mahama, which are separated for men and women and hand washing points are equipped with water cans locally known as kandagira ukarabe. One of the most urgent WASH needs within the camps (and particularly within Mahama), is hygiene promotion. Given the growing refugee population, space is limited and outbreaks of water-borne diseases are a major risk. RRCS have also observed that many families in Mahama with young children do not dispose of their children s faecal waste properly, which contaminates parts of the camp and risks affecting the water supply (piped and purified water from the adjacent river). RRCS has been highly active with hygiene promotion activities over the past five months, including the use of mobile cinema to disseminate hygiene and health messages. Approximately 46 session s mobile cinema sessions were conducted over three months, reaching about 72,100 people within Mahama main camp, and the Nyanza and Gashora transit camps. It is essential that hygiene promotion continue over coming months within all the refugee camps. Monitoring carried out following mobile cinema sessions on cholera showed a more than a 100% increase in knowledge based on the number of correct answers people could give before and after the cinema shows. A target of two cinema sessions per week have been delivered in Mahama (and the transit) camp. Films on nutrition and disaster risk reduction will also be added to the mix of hygiene and malaria films. To address gaps in information provision in Mahama camp, RRCS will also (with the support of PNS bilateral funding) set up an information centre where refugees can come to

6 P a g e 6 find out about services in the camp, listen to radio news, receive hygiene and health information and listen to music. This will be achieved through establishing a small radio studio connected to loud speakers and managed by RRCS volunteers in the camp. Once successfully established, phase two will see the information centre expanded to be able to receive questions and complaints from residents and these will be recorded, analysed and shared with other agencies. The local RRCS radio show broadcast from Ngoma on Radio Isuzu will also be used to provide information on health and hygiene. The radio show will also be used to address tensions between refugees and the host communities by broadcasting vox pops from each community and addressing issues of joint concern such as the lack of water, through interviews with those in charge of services, such as the local mayor and UNHCR. This is funded through the long term beneficiary communication programme. Munini host community, around Mahama camp: In the Munini host community, the water and sanitation needs have escalated dramatically in recent months as more and more refugees have arrived from Burundi. There is immense pressure on the water supply (and other) resources, which risks triggering conflict between the host and refugee communities (this risk will be discussed further in the risks section below). Due to the difficultly of drilling boreholes in Mahama camp, UNHCR has begun trucking water from the local Akagera river to supply water to refugees. This is the same river used by the host Munini community, and considering the arid nature of the region, there is minimal river water to serve both the refugee and host communities. UNHCR has also recently installed a water treatment plant for the refugees, to increase the efficiency of water use from the river, but the overall supply is still low. Since this plant is currently only serving the refugee population, there is an urgent need to improve the water supply system for the Munini host community, which could be done through the repair of an existing pipeline. RRCS learned during their assessment with the Munini community that the price of water has increased in recent months from Rwf10 to between 100 and 150 for 20lts, and that some community members resort to purchasing water from refugees who are given water at no cost. In terms of sanitation facilities, the Munini host community is also struggling to cope with the refugee influx. On a daily basis, thousands of refugees visit the Munini villages from Mahama camp in order to purchase supplies or enjoy the small entertainment facilities available. This daily surge of people into Munini has overwhelmed the sanitation facilities and the existing latrines are now full or insufficient for the usage rates they are now getting. There is an urgent need for a block of temporary latrines in a public area that can be accessed by the visiting refugees. Most households within Munini also do not have adequate or safe pit latrines, so there is a need to provide sanitation platforms (san plats) and hygiene promotion activities at the household level. Hygiene promotion activities, such as mobile cinema and distribution of IECs would be advisable to reduce further risks of disease spread in the increasingly dense population. Shelter and settlements Refugees within Mahama and other camps: All refugees in Mahama camp are currently provided with tents for shelter. For new arrivals, they are hosted together in marquee/communal tents, since the main refugee camp is being developed and extended to receive more refugees. Since refugees are expected to be in Rwanda well into 2016 (and perhaps beyond), UNHCR has begun building semi-permanent houses and infrastructure (schools) on land adjacent to Mahama camp. For the most part, the shelter needs of refugees in Mahama camp are being met. Shelter is not a focus for RRCS within the DREF operation or new EA. Munini host community, around Mahama camp: There are no urgent shelter needs within the Munini host community. Food Security and Livelihoods Refugees within Mahama and other camps: The food security situation in the refugee camps is generally stable; however the livelihoods situation is predictably dire, since the majority of refugees are unable to work. It is not within the scope of RRCS s strategy to address the livelihood needs of the camp refugees, and similarly many international agencies are focusing more on the immediate emergency needs for the time being. In addition, there a major concern within the refugee population is the arrival of hundreds of children with various levels of malnutrition. ARC registered over 680 cases of malnourished children in recent months, of which 287 were in critical condition and hospitalized. They also reported over 380 cases of children with anaemia. WFP and UNHCR provide food rations within Mahama camp, but the UNHCR has reported that they struggle to meet SPHERE standards with food provision as they have been overwhelmed by the rapid influx of refugees. Some refugees purchase additional food in

7 P a g e 7 the host community market of Munini, which has also driven prices up for everyone. One possible solution would be the development of kitchen vegetable gardens and household nurseries in order to increase food security at a family level. Munini host community, around Mahama camp: During focus group discussions and interviews conducted by RRCS with the Munini host community camp in July 2015, many participants said they were unprepared for the refugee influx, and that it has had a devastating impact on their livelihoods and food security. The Mahama/Munini area is in a highly arid part of Eastern Rwanda, which is just at the end of an exceptionally hot dry season. Many of the crops failed in recent months, which already rendered the Munini community vulnerable before the refugee influx. As of September 2015, the situation has deteriorated further, as the Munini community compete for resources (water, firewood, and food) with the Mahama camp refugees. The water shortage was discussed above (in WASH section), but food prices have also now soared upwards with the decreasing supply and increasing demand. The price of beans, for example, which are a staple vegetable to Rwandans, has doubled from Rwf 250/kg to 500/ The costs of all food stuffs according to the host community have more than doubled. Accessing firewood has also decreased, as refugees gather wood in the same areas as the host community, thereby depleting the available resources. Trees are scarce across Rwanda, but they are particularly in the arid area of Mahama. Munini community members informed RRCS that the Burundian refugees are cutting down every available tree or bush, which is depleting the local supply of wood and will impact the Munini community for years to come. Restoring Family Links Refugees within Mahama and other camps: With the support from ICRC, RRCS is currently providing tracing services by offering free telephone calls to refugees in the camps to trace their family members. Also, Red Cross messages are being used to reconnect families which are separated due to population movement. Many children have been separated from their caregivers and parents and the RRCS with support from ICRC is working on tracing their relatives from the neighbouring countries. It is estimated that over 30% of the total child refugees arrived unaccompanied and many of them have now been put in the custody of Rwandan foster families. Munini host community, around Mahama camp: There are no urgent RFL needs within the Munini host community. Considering the above mentioned sanitation, resource, and environmental issues between the Mahama refugees and the Munini host community, there is an urgent need to mitigate possible conflicts between the two communities. No agencies are currently looking into this risk; however RRCS has the capacity and drive to do so. Activities are needed to build mutual respect between the two communities, and the Operational Strategy and Plan section below will outline plans for RRCS in this sector. Risk Assessment The Mahama refugee camp is located in Rwanda s Eastern Province in Kirehe District, Mahama Sector, Munini Cell, which is about a three and half hours drive from Kigali. There is a good road network between Mahama and Kigali, as well as a good mobile phone network in an around Mahama camp. Mahama Camp is located on the banks of Akagera River which separates Rwanda from Tanzania, and this river serves as the primary water supply for both the refugee and host communities. One of the primary risks is the possible conflict which may arise between the Mahama refugees and the Munini host community due to competition over resources and facilities. This has so far only materialized in the form of children (from both communities) fighting with each other as they collect firewood or come into contact with each other and there have been a few minor injuries from this. However, without targeted mitigation strategies, such a situation could escalate and cause deeper misunderstanding or possibly injury. The Akagera river is also a direct risk for children in particular (from both communities), who visit the river to play, fetch water, or fetch firewood. The river can be strong at certain times of the year, and while flooding is rare in the area, the river can wash away small children who might fall in. In the past month, two children have already died in this way. Crocodiles are also a real risk in the Akagera River.

8 P a g e 8 Refugees themselves face a number of risks on their journey from Burundi to Rwanda (including injury, lack of food, shelter and water, psychosocial trauma) and these need to be considered by any agency offering humanitarian assistance. Beneficiary selection: The RRCS will also ensure that the EA operation is aligned with the IFRC s commitment to realize gender equality and diversity, by adapting beneficiary selection criteria that targets female headed-households, people with disabilities. Other aspects considered will include prevention of sexual violence and gender-based violence, and the protection of children. Many of households are female-headed, and have been identified by RRCS as particularly vulnerable. It is expected that 2,000 families (10,000 people) will be reached through this EA operation. RRCS volunteers currently working in Mahama camp already have a strong sense of which refugees are more vulnerable, and much of the targeting will be based on this local knowledge. In addition, RRCS will coordinate with other agencies to ensure RRCS target families which are not already targeted by other agencies. As a general rule, RRCS will target female-headed households, children without parents, and families who visibly have fewer belongings and means than others. Gender is an important consideration for RRCS throughout all activities, and young girls and female heads of households are given priority in NFI distributions. Gender sensitive messaging will be carefully disseminated to targeted refugee groups within Mahama, including information on violence prevention, menstrual hygiene management (MHM), and others. Figure 4: Target population by location Groups of persons of concern Population target Selection criteria Refugees in Mahama main camp 7,500 people Relief support will be provided to most (1,500 HH) vulnerable (ill people, handicapped, unaccompanied minors). Refugees in transit camps Relief support will be provided to refugees who arrive in poor conditions (though PNS bilateral consortium from September December 2015). Munini host communities (around Mahama camp) 2,500 people (500 HH) Most vulnerable families with in host communities will be targeted. Scenario Planning UNHCR anticipates the Burundian refugees to stay in Rwanda well into 2016, and have started planning for this with the construction of semi-permanent houses for refugee families. While much depends on the political situation in Burundi, RRCS volunteers have also learned in their discussions with refugees that they plan to stay in Rwanda for many months to come. For this reason, UNHCR is strongly encouraging agencies to provide medium term support for refugees, at least into 2016 rather than continue solely with immediate emergency services. RRCS plans to work on a contingency plan for this longer term scenario, and the strategy behind this EA (covering refugee needs for six months in 2016, as a continuation of the bilateral support) also supports this longer term vision of sustainable programming. B. Operational strategy and plan Overall objective Improve the health, hygiene and PSS conditions of 7,500 Burundian refugees (or 1,500 families) living in Mahama camp; and to address the hygiene, food security and violence prevention needs of 2,500 members (or 500 families) of the host community of Munini surrounding the Mahama camp.

9 P a g e 9 Proposed strategy As the political situation in Burundi remains uncertain, and the approximately 47, 000 refugees in Mahama camp plan staying for many months to come, RRCS has an overall response strategy to support these refugees until at least June Since RRCS can support these Mahama refugees (and also those in entry points and transit centres) with funding from a PNS consortium from September through December 2015, this appeal seeks to cover those same needs from January through June Recognizing the urgent needs of the Munini host community, around Mahama camp, RRCS also plans to support this small target group for the full 10 month duration of the EA. RRCS strategic focus on Mahama camp and the Munini host community is logical for a number of reasons. First, RRCS has confirmed for itself (through assessments and observation) that there are persistent and urgent needs in both communities. Since the two communities neighbour each other, this will allow RRCS to concentrate its resources in a single geographic area, and indeed a number of these resources (HR, Logistics, equipment, etc.) will be used for activities in both communities. This resource sharing and cost efficiency will allow RRCS to maximize its impact for a longer period, which is crucial to the need for medium term programming. Since RRCS invested in much of the required response equipment and volunteer training during the DREF period, the remaining activities (if concentrated in the Mahama & surrounding area) are not so costly. The UNHCR also anticipates closing all of the transit centres in coming months, under the assumption that most refugees will be centralized in Mahama by the end of While there are certainly needs amongst the urban refugee population in Kigali and other cities, RRCS strategic focus will be the Mahama camp and the Munini host community for the next 10 months. For the scope of this EA, RRCS will provide services to the Munini host community from September 2015 through to June 2016, and will provide services within the Mahama camp from January through to June 2016 (given that the PNS consortium will support RRCS to work in Mahama for the rest of 2015). The needs of each community are different; however there are certainly some which overlap. Below are the planned activities for each community. Quality programming / Areas common to all sectors Conduct cash transfer programming (CTP) and market assessment (in the Munini host community), which will inform the nature of the activities planned within the Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods section. Final external evaluation (including an internal lessons learned workshop). Health and Care Refugees within Mahama and other camps: Installation of additional equipment in the first aid and PSS tents for incoming refugees. Provision of first aid services in the Mahama camp including onward referral as required, as well as the replenishment of first aid kits, which have been used during the response (replenishment of four kits carried out through the DREF; however inclusion of additional eight through the EA). Refresher training for volunteers (30 CHF 18 per day for two days; including accommodation, per diem and transportation) on PSS, which will then be mobilized to in the Mahama camp to provide PSS services to incoming refugees. In addition, PSS activities for children will also be carried out, including joint sports and cultural activities for primary aged children (from both the Mahama camp and Munini communities) to build mutual understanding between the two communities. Conduct community based health sensitization sessions (providing including nutrition, family planning and GBV information) through use of mobile cinema (48 CHF 200 per session; including for communication (publicizing the event), facilitator per diems, generator fuel, and refreshments/prizes for participants; and an information/listening desk (to be set up with PNS consortium funds, and continued into 2016 through the EA). The information/listening desk will be used for both disseminating information, and also as a feedback mechanism to record and respond to inquiries or complaints from refugees. Munini host community, around Mahama camp: Training for volunteers (35 CHF 18 per day for three days; including accommodation, per diem and transportation) on the prevention and control of cholera, diarrhoea, hygiene and malaria).

10 P a g e 10 Conduct community based health sensitization sessions (providing including nutrition, family planning and GBV information) through use of mobile cinema (10 sessions / one per CHF 200 per session; including for communication (publicizing the event), facilitator per diems, generator fuel, and refreshments/prizes for participants). Facilitate transportation of volunteers between Mahama and Host community to provide first aid /referral services (through procurement of a motorcycle). Offer joint sports and cultural activities for primary aged children (from both the Mahama and Munini communities) to build mutual understanding between the two communities. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion Refugees within Mahama and other camps: Conduct hygiene promotion through the use of mobile cinema and an information/listening desk (48 sessions). Please note that this activity is combined with community based health sensitization sessions (refer to Health and Care strategy) in Mahama camp, where it is budgeted. In addition, radio broadcasts will be conducted in the Mahama camp to promote hygiene/health/vp messages (10 CHF 60 per month). Munini host community, around Mahama camp: Conduct repair to leaks of the water supply pipeline in the Munini host community, which will provide safe water to the population in the medium term. Construction of community pit latrine in the host community (one block / 14 latrines) (temporary, with iron sheeting for walls and roof, constructed by RRC volunteers), used by host community and visiting refugees from Mahama camp; as well as the production/distribution of 500 SanPlats to families living in the host community to increase access to sanitation facilities at household level. In addition, personal protective equipment (boots, gloves, masks) will be issued to support the cleaning/maintenance of the latrines. Refresher training for volunteers on PHASTER (20 CHF per day for four days; including accommodation, per diem and transportation), which will then be mobilized to conduct household level based hygiene promotion using this methodology (Four sessions per month on CHF 25 per session; including per diem and transportation), as well as distribute IEC materials. In addition, IEC kits (brochures, posters, sign boards) will also be procured CHF 500 per kit) to support the household level based hygiene promotion. Conduct hygiene promotion through the use of mobile cinema (10 sessions / one per CHF 200 per session; including for communication (publicizing the event), facilitator per diems, generator fuel, and refreshments/prizes for participants). Please note that this activity is in addition to the community based health sensitization sessions (refer to Health and Care strategy), which are also being carried out through the use of mobile cinema. Shelter and settlements Refugees within Mahama and other camps Distribution of family NFI kits to 1,500 families (with blankets, mats, soap, basins) specifically targeting families that were not supported through the distributions (through the initial DREF operation). Distribution of clothing to 1,500 families (kitenge for women and assorted for men and children) specifically targeting families that were not supported through the initial distributions. Provision of 500 MHM kits to vulnerable women and girls (500). Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods Refugees within Mahama and other camps: Provide assistance to 500 refugee families to enable them to establish household kitchen gardens. This will require only minimal inputs per household (seeds and tools, for), to render the households more food secure. Groups of 50 refugees will 10 tree nurseries, costing only 200 CHF in tools and seeds and shade material. RRCS volunteers will conduct sensitization on methods to encourage environmental protection and food security. As newcomers to the areas, the refugees are less aware of (and less interested in) the need for environmental protection around the Munini villages. With the present scale of firewood gathering (including the chopping of all

11 P a g e 11 trees and small shrubs), by the growing refugee population, fuel is becoming more and more scarce. The development of tree nurseries will help to replenish this important resource. The RRCS volunteers will engage in massive community mobilisation on tree planting around the camp for example as demarcation of individual plots, and at public facilities. Munini host community, around Mahama camp: Based on a CTP needs assessment, RRCS will initiate CTP programming with a small group (500 families) in the Munini host community. Since the assessment will help to determine the most appropriate delivery method and product type (vouchers for specific items, or cash, or other, etc.), some of the details of this activity will be worked out in coming weeks. RRCS anticipates (based on a more general recent assessment) giving regular cash transfers to the 500 families to purchase seeds, tools, or other agricultural inputs to improve their food security. Since RRCS has minimal experience with CTP, the activity will require an initial training (and subsequent refresher training) for volunteers (10) and staff (six) on CTP (16 CHF 18 per day for five days for the initial training, and four days for the refresher); as well as the procurement of equipment for these activities (mobiles phones, vouchers from the supplier etc.). Following the CTP and market assessment, agricultural tools and high yielding seeds for crops suitable to the land in the host community are expected to be provided through a CTP approach to facilitate crop farming and enable the host community to supplement food production (expected to support 500 families with establishing vegetable gardens over eight months). In addition, community sessions (12) will be carried out to help establish nursery beds of mixed fruit and forest trees. Training for volunteers (35 CHF 18 per day for three days) on the use of energy saving sources, including the use of local materials to produce briquettes, and construct the fuel efficient stoves out of local materials (CHF 5 per stove) to support 500 families. Disaster Preparedness and risk reduction Development of a medium/long term contingency plan for the response to Burundi refugee situation in Rwanda beyond the timeframe of the EA. Operational support services Human Resources Based on the lessons learnt from the DREF operation, there is need for a more robust human resources (HR) structure to be put in place at the RRCS Headquarters and at district level to strengthen implementation and monitoring as well as reporting and accountability. In the current structure, the RRCS staff is not able to efficiently monitor the emergency response along with its ongoing projects. The following local staff would be supported (partially or fully) through this EA: A local Operations Manager to be based in Kigali. The selected candidate will be among others responsible for offering technical support to each specialized sector, coordinating the implementation of activities from the field and conveying information coming from the field, coordinating financial, administrative and logistical services, making sure that that the implementation is adhering to RRC and the IFRC policies and procedures. He/she will be responsible for updating the RRC management on the progress and challenges of the operation and liaise with IFRC focal person on operational issues at strategic level. An international Operations Manager to be based in Kigali and Mahama camp. The costs for this role have not been included in the Emergency Appeal budget (although the line is indicated), due to the small scale of the budget. RRCS and IFRC would welcome a staff secondment or in-kind/cash offer for this position from partners. Partial salary support for a RRCS field coordinator who will be based at the district level, stationed in one of the affected areas. The officer will be the Refugee operation officer. The officer will be in charge of overall coordination and management of the plan of action as well as coordinating with partners, financial, logistical issues, reporting and monitoring as well as communication. He/she will work under close supervision of the local Operations Manager and work hand in hand with Finance and PMER officers. Partial salary support for RRCS logistics, PMER and finance officers in Kigali in order to monitor the progress and implementation of the operation.

12 P a g e 12 Per diem support for volunteers (80 volunteers x 150 CHF 5.8, September June 2016); National Disaster Response Team members (6 NDRT x 180 CHF 7.25, September June 2016) and a dedicated driver to support the implementation of the activities planned within the EA. Please note that protective equipment (boots, caps, gloves, jackets, rain coats & t shirts) will be procured for 100 volunteers (80 active; and 20 as a buffer stock) 50 of which have been covered through the previous DREF operation. Technical support from the IFRC or PNS partners, with an RDRT (three months) or operations manager and/or a CPT delegate if this programming is possible. Logistics and supply chain The RRCS will use the existing logistical structures and systems, but they will need the support of a temporary warehouse tent in Kigali as the existing warehouse is being use by other projects. From the EA, the RRCS will need to procure a motorcycle that will be stationed at the Mahama refugee camp and will be used to transport referral patients and also transport volunteers between the Mahama camp and Munini community. The RRCS will procure relief items in Kigali or in villages near Mahama camp. In addition, to conduct monitoring missions to Mahama from Kigali, it is necessary to lease the RRCS vehicles for each trip. Please note that leasing costs are included in the budget, as well as provisions made for fuel, maintenance and spare parts (as required). Information technologies (IT) Communication in the affected areas is challenging, though there is a temporary satellite installed by one of the mobile company, the service is not reliable. The purchase of office equipment such as computers, printers will also be needed to support the officers who will be implementing the activities under the EA. Please note that communications will be needed to assist in the coordination of activities between those staff and volunteers involved in the operation; and as such have been budgeted. Communications The objectives of RRCS communication and advocacy activities, with the support of the IFRC EAIOI regional representation office are: To raise awareness on the Burundian refugees crisis and to ensure that the most vulnerable are receiving the humanitarian support they deserve. To raise awareness on RRCS response and needs to support its operation. To raise awareness of the specific role and added value of RRCS volunteers in emergency response and the involvement of refugees as Red Cross volunteers. All this will be done in close collaboration with ICRC and through collecting and sharing human interest stories, as well as updating infographics, facts and figures, key advocacy messages, audio visual material including photos and video. News releases, fact sheets, videos, photographs and qualified spokespeople contacts are immediately developed and made available to media and key stakeholders. Facilitate media field trips to affected areas to create awareness. Support the launch of this EA and other major milestones throughout the operation using people-centred, community level diverse content, including web stories, blogs, video footage and photos with extended captions. Communications material developed through this EA will be shared with PNS, partners etc. using various communications channels including the IFRC Africa web page and IFRC Africa Twitter account. The target audiences are media to reach out to the general audience nationally, regionally and globally, donors to support resource mobilisation, and decision makers and governments to address key advocacy needs. The IFRC EAIOI office will ensure close coordination with the other National Societies involved in this response, to promote a coherent RC voice while addressing Burundian refugee needs at national and regional level. In addition, an external consultancy communications support to develop material /support RRCS has been budgeted (CHF 400 for 10 days). Security The security situation is peaceful, and staff and volunteers have continued access to the affected population. All security measures have been put in place to pave suitable environment for the humanitarian aid to reach the