Lusenda -Mulongwe: UNHCR donates cash to vulnerable refugees

The concerned persons are roughly 3,250 people. Every individual received one hundred US dollars. They are settled in the camps of Lusenda and Mulongwe on the Fizi territories in the province of South Kivu, eastern DRC. The interested parties say they are happy. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

There’s joy among the refugees who have received assistance. The beneficiaries include the elderly, people living with disabilities, those with chronic illnesses, widows and orphans.

“I will have to buy food for my children who were going to starve, thanks to this money,” Sévère Nzobonimpa, a widow from Lusenda, says.

As for Jean Ndayishimiye living with disability and coordinator, “this sum will help me in my activity and allow me to buy new equipment”.

Burundian refugees who gave their comments to SOS Médias Burundi believe that “this aid comes at the right time, most of us cannot go and look for work outside the camp”.

“Me, I only live from begging. I have no choice because I live in extreme poverty,” says Constantin Minani, in his sixties.

However, some refugees regret that “we’re not on the list even though we are in this category of vulnerable people”.

Vulnerable refugees have been asking UNHCR for help for several months.

The distribution ended last Saturday in Mulongwe camp and in the town of Baraka, located between Mulongwe and Lusenda. In Mulongwe, beneficiaries say they have received half of the aid but still thank the UNHCR who thought of them.

The DRC has more than 40,000 Burundian refugees. They are mainly settled in two camps located in the territory of Fizi, namely: Lusenda and Mulongwe.