CERF jump-starts key life-saving projects in Bolivia

6 March 2007: Since November 2006, extreme climatic events resulting from the El Niño phenomenon has hit Bolivia. Floods and landslides (in the midlands and lowlands) as well as drought, hail and freezing temperatures (in the highlands) have led to displacement, injuries and loss of lives.

By the end of February, more than 71,000 households (360,000 individuals) in all nine regions of Bolivia had been affected, and these numbers are increasing by the day. In addition, the families struck by this natural disaster are among the poorest in the country or those already made more vulnerable by the severe floods in 2006. The majority of the victims are peasants who have lost their means of livelihood.

The humanitarian response is complicated by the fact that the emergency and the affected population is spread out over a huge territory. Access to these areas is difficult due to the road obstructions caused by the floods and mudslides. Precise assessments of the humanitarian needs are, therefore, difficult to obtain. To jump-start key life-saving operations in Bolivia, the Emergency Relief Coordinator authorized the allocation of CERF grants totaling US$ 2 million.

With an allocation of US$ 100,000, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) will provide tarpaulins and other essential non-food items to improve shelter conditions of 865 displaced families especially in the departments of Santa Cruz and Beni. The Departmental Emergency Operation Centre is responsible for the distribution and set-up of the shelter items.

US$ 960,000 were made available to the World Food Programme (WFP) to assist food insecure families that have lost their capacities to obtain income or aliments. Children 6 to 24 months old, women and other high risk groups will receive special attention. This project also seeks to prevent the livelihoods of the affected households from further deterioration.

A schoolgirl in Bolivia who benefits from WFP's school feeding programme. [Photo: WFP/Tom Haskell]

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is using a grant of US$ 70,000 to supply and distribute nutritional cookies to toddlers (6 to 24 months). The UN agency is also training young mothers in nutrition, child care and health/hygiene questions. Another allocation of US$ 140,000 is ensuring that 20,000 children (age 5 to 14) will have access to education. In addition, this project is set up to prevent sexual abuse of children in temporary shelters. US$ 125,000 is made available for psycho-social support of 10,000 children and adolescents (5 to 18 years).

With an additional grant of US$ 175,000 UNICEF is ensuring safe supplies of clean water to affected communities. The agency is also constructing temporary latrines in shelters, and pumping, cleaning and disinfecting contaminated wells.

In addition, its staff is mobilizing people to properly use the water systems and latrines and to improve their hygiene habits in order to reduce the incidence of water and sanitation related diseases, especially among young children.

At least half the livestock has been affected by the floods with many animals developing diseases common for an environment with high humidity and scarcity of forage. With a CERF allocation of US$ 300,000, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) aims at reducing the mortality of the livestock of small farmers in order to preserve food security as well as employment. Together with the National Service for Animal and Vegetal Health (SENASAG), services of agriculture (SEDAG), farmers’ association in municipalities and provinces and veterinary faculties, the UN agency is distributing forage and concentrated food, monitoring and controlling animal diseases as well as providing treatment against diagnosed diseases and vaccinations against sanitary services.

The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO) are using the CERF allocation of US$ 100,000 to strengthen the health sector by distributing health kits. PAHO/WHO is also supporting the Ministry of Health with the implementation of health actions and the management of humanitarian supplies.

US$ 30,000 is made availabe to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) to support activities designed to reduce HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) among the vulnerable population in the affected areas. The agency is also supplying equipment for safe birth attendance and newborn care in order to improve maternal and neonatal survival.

Read more: Bolivia “El Nino Phenomenon” Flash Appeal

[Last update: 15 March 2007]