CURRENT SITUATION OF SURVIVORS OF BUJUMBURA FLOODS
Survivors of Carama and surrounding areas are now living in 5 different displacement Camps. Their current situation is very bad, as you can see from the pictures. The Carama survivors lost their beloved ones and belongings. One couple lost their 6 children, killed by torrential rains. They very much need food, clothes, blankets and kitchen materials. Moreover, they need Permanente shelters where they can live with their families. To build one home it cost $998; a home that can accommodate a family of 7 to 10 people. Until the time I am writing this report, $210 have been donated for this project.
The Heavy rains of Sunday, February 12th, 2014 caused flooding in the northern areas of Bujumbura, including Carama location. The torrential rains and landslides have left at list 77 people dead, 81 injured, about 12,000 displaced in Bujumbura and around 1,500 houses destroyed. The survivors of Bujumbura disaster are urgently in need assistance
See how the torrential rains that killed over 77 people and destroyed around 1,500 houses in Carama and surrounding areas, moved this container full of heavy materials, from where it was located to a distance of 65 feet and pushed it on the other roadside gutter.
I continue to hope and believe donations will be made to this project so that we can help the people of Carama rebuild their homes and their land.
Thank you so much for help us make a difference in Carama community.
Prosper Ndabishuriye
General Coordinator and Founder.
GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY WITHIN AND BEYOND
Compassion is not about words, Compassion is action; it is about caring for those in need and suffering. Compassion is feeling with someone and not feeling for someone. When you feel with some one, you identify yourself with that person. Because, when you feel with, it means that you also feel the pain as much as if it was on you. And with Compassion you just don’t feel, you also get a strong desire to do something, something that would make the pain go or lessen the pain, and more often the desire is so strong that you end up trying as much as you would have tried for your own self. And you may even become restless when you can’t do much about it. It’s more saying sorry, you can’t get the satisfaction of just saying “sorry” or “I will pray for you”. The way I understand Compassion, it’s to be human. A human being feels pain and feels for others too. Compassion is selfless act, it makes you see others; you just don’t think that as long as you are fine then everything is good for every one.
Compassion is about action; it is about caring for one another; it is about understanding; it is about identifying yourself with those in need and suffering; it is about solidarity; it is about helping find the solutions for those who are waiting for a help and assistance. This is exactly what we have been doing for the last 20 years for those in need, for the homeless and hopeless people in Burundi.
As you can see from these pictures, the construction of 3 houses for 3 widow families who are the beneficiaries have been completed. These three widow families together with their children are very grateful to JRMD and those who contributed financially so that they can have their own Permanente homes, where they can live with their children.
Niyokindi is one of the three widow families, she said: “ As we did not have our own house, after my husband died, me and my three children became homeless and lost totally my hope to have one day a house in which me and my children can live in together. Having this house is a miracle to me. I am very thankful to those who helped me to have this nice home. May God bless them”.
With the help of JRMD Home Building Team 81 of 100 widow and orphan families have already made enough bricks to build their houses. As soon, as funds to purchase construction materials are raised, with the help of JRMD home building team, the work of roofing houses already built at the stage of roofing will begin.
I am very grateful to our donors and friends, and friends of friends who continue to help JRMD continue provide shelter to the widow and orphan families in Burundi. If one person was to try do this work alone, it would be impossible. This is only possible by joining hands together with friends, and friends of friends to build a society and the world we want that each one of us is longing to belong to and live in.
Until our project is fully funded, we will be sending you regular reports about our work. You'll know what your donation has helped fund, what accomplishments we have achieved and what our current needs are. Donation can be made through the following link: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/providing-shelters-to-100-widows-in-buganda/
Prosper Ndabishuriye
General Coordinator and Founder
I would like to express my most sincere appreciation for the generous donations you have made on behalf of the 450 children at Iwacu Kazoza School. Because of YOU, these underprivileged children can continue to access education, so important to their future and the future of our community.
With your donations from July, 2013 to March, 2014, totaling $31,000, we have been able to do the following:
450 children continue to have access to education at Iwacu Kazoza School.
18 teachers have been hired.
Student books have been purchased.
Two additional classrooms have been roofed.
Unfortunately our additional classrooms still need a lot of work, which we cannot afford at this time. We are very happy that we are able to pay our teachers a portion of their salaries, but we still owe them their February and March salaries. That is why April 16th is such an important date!
APRIL 16TH IS A MATCHING DONATIONS DAY
Matching is applied at 50% for every donation from $10 up to $1,000. Your donation of $10 or more will put Iwacu Kazoza School in a position to also be awarded a $10,000 grant from Microsoft. Donations should be made through: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/providing-education-to-450-youths-in-ruhagarika/ linked on the GlobalGiving website. GlobalGiving is a registered 501©3 entity, and donations are fully tax-deductible in the United States. [450 donors -- one for each child at the school -- will put us in the running for the $10 000 bonus. Please ask your friends to join us and help make a difference in a child's life.]
Matching donations will start on Wednesday, April 16th, 2014 at 9:01 a.m. Pacific Day Time (PDT) or at 12:00:01 PM (noon) EDT and will end Thursday, April 17th, 2014 at 8:59:59 p.m. Pacific Day Time (PDT) or at 11:59:59 AM EDT, or when matching funds run out. PLEASE make your donations and encourage your friends to make their donations AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE before funds run out!
Again, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping to make it possible to complete our classrooms, pay our teachers and buy much needed educational supplies.
Yours most sincerely,
Prosper Ndabishuriye
General Coordinator and Founder
