Appeal

Burundi

Assistance to Returnees AFBI81

Appeal Target: US$ 826,589

Geneva, 10 July 2008

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.id 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) and 31 January 2009 (Province of the Anglican Church in Burundi)

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FOR THE FULL APPEAL TEXTS AND BUDGETS (PDF FILE), KINDLY VISIT THE ACT SITE. THANK YOU. ___________________________________________________________________________

Please kindly send your contributions to either of the following ACT bank accounts:

US dollar

Account Number - 240-432629.60A

IBAN No: CH46 0024 0240 4326 2960A

Euro

Euro Bank Account Number - 240-432629.50Z

IBAN No: CH84 0024 0240 4326 2950Z

Account Name: ACT - Action by Churches Together

UBS AG

8, rue du Rhône

P.O. Box 2600

1211 Geneva 4, SWITZERLAND

Swift address: UBSWCHZH80A

Please also inform the Finance Officer Jessie Kgoroeadira (jkg@act-intl.org) and the Programme Officer Michael Hyden (mhy@act-intl.org), of all pledges/contributions and transfers, including funds sent direct to the implementers, now that the Pledge Form is no longer attached to the Appeal.

We would appreciate being informed of any intent to submit applications for EU, USAID and/or other back donor funding and the subsequent results. We thank you in advance for your kind cooperation.

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ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide. The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.