CARE launches US$1 million appeal, distributes emergency supplies

Geneva, Switzerland (Oct. 12, 2010) – CARE has launched an emergency response to help families suffering through the devastating flooding that has affected nearly half the communes of Benin. According to the government, 700,000 people have been affected, including more than 200,000 people whose homes have been damaged or destroyed.

Crops, food supplies and livestock have been washed away by the floods, leaving 200,000 people in need of food assistance to survive until the next harvest in April, 2011. The government has declared a state of emergency and has asked for immediate international assistance.

Heavy rains are continuing, and the waters have not yet started to recede. The standing water is also raising the risk of water-borne disease and malaria.

“Latrines have been flooded out, spreading waste in the same water that people are using to cook and bathe with. Families have told us that children are already suffering from diarrhea,” said Huguette Sekpe, head of CARE’s emergency response in Benin, who just returned from the flood zone. “Water purification tablets will help prevent disease, but we need to reach people more quickly.”

Affected areas are only reachable by boat, with floodwaters as high as two metres in some villages. Many families have taken refuge in medical centres or schools, the only buildings that remained above the floodwaters. Others have stayed behind to protect their homes, using wood to create platforms to stay above the water.

With funding from DFID, CARE’s first shipment of emergency supplies has been transported to the flood zones, and will be distributed by boat to families this week. CARE is appealing for an initial US$1 million to increase our response to provide food, water purification tablets, shelter materials and other emergency supplies to 50,000 people.

Media contact:
Melanie Brooks (in Geneva): +41 79 590 30 47, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

About CARE: Founded in 1945, CARE is one of the world’s largest humanitarian aid agencies. In nearly 70 countries, CARE works with the poorest communities to improve basic health and education, enhance rural livelihoods and food security, increase access to clean water and sanitation, expand economic opportunity, and provide lifesaving assistance after disasters. CARE has been working in Benin since 1999, providing assistance in education, gender-based violence prevention, and microfinance interventions.

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