Caritas has sent assessment teams out to get an accurate picture of how to help people who have lost homes and possessions in recent floods in Burkina Faso.

Torrential rains fell in the east and north of the country on 22 July, leaving 26,000 homeless and one person dead. The areas affected are the dioceses of Fada N’Gourma and Kaya

“Our fields and houses have been destroyed so we’ve taken refuge under the trees,” says Alimata Zore, a mother of eight from Nomdé. “We’re using plastic bags to keep dry, but it’s hard. Our children just cry all the time because they have no food. I’m scared they’re going to fall ill soon.”

Caritas is planning to boost the Burkina Faso emergency appeal which it launched at the end of June from US$400,000 ( €312,320) to US$690,00 (€531,140).The extra funds will help provide food and other items to a total of 2,500 households, which will include the newly homeless flood victims.


The seven-month emergency programme was originally focused on providing people with food and helping them get over previous floods from last September. It already included the two dioceses hit by last week’s floods.

This is the second time in less than a year that the people of Burkina Faso are dealing with the effects of heavy rain. The massive floods in the country last September affected 600,000 people and left 150 dead.

Following that disaster Caritas launched an emergency programme which focused on health, shelter, food, hygiene and education.

The effects of frequent floods on rural communities in developing countries is devastating. Not only do many people lose their homes, but in these agriculture-led societies, many people lose their incomes also. The current floods have come just after the planting season in Burkina Faso. This means that September/October harvests will be at risk creating a longer-term impact on people’s lives.

View some photos from the floods on Caritas' flickr site

For more information, please contact Michelle Hough on +39 06 69879721/+39 334 2344136 or hough@caritas.va