IN response to the devastating earthquake that hit Kagera Region in North West Tanzania on 10 September 2016, the European Union is providing €100 000 in humanitarian funds to assist the most affected families.
According to a statement issued by the
EU in Tanzania, the funds will support the Tanzanian Red Cross in
delivering much needed relief assistance, including tarpaulins for
shelter, mosquito nets to reduce the risks of mosquito bites to the
affected population, first aid kits as well as psychosocial assistance.
The aid will also directly benefit about
5,000 people who had their homes destroyed by the earthquake. In its
wake, the 5.9 magnitude earthquake affected 117,000 people, leaving 20
people dead and more than 400 injured. 2,500 houses were completely
destroyed while 14,500 others suffered serious damage.
“The funding is part of the EU’s overall
contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the
International Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent Societies
(IFRC),” reads the statement. Relief assistance is an expression of
European solidarity towards people in need around the world.
It aims to save lives, prevent and
alleviate human suffering and safeguard the integrity and human dignity
of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises. The
European Commission through its Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection
department (ECHO) helps over 120 million victims of conflicts and
disasters every year.
The European Commission has signed a €3
million humanitarian contribution agreement with the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the
Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF).
Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated
to “small-scale” disasters – those that do not give rise to a formal
international appeal.
The Disaster Relief Emergency Fund was
established in 1985 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each
time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate
financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from
the DREF. For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the
Fund, which can then be replenished by the donors
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