Floods in Benin - CARE Canada 2010

Since the beginning of November 2010 Benin has been experiencing a nutritional and food security crisis arising from unseasonably heavy rains in September that have caused massive flooding. The flooding has left hundreds of thousands of people homeless and has caused massive destruction. CARE Canada is focusing its emergency response in six of the worst hit communes in Ouémé and Zou where the organisation has a presence with its current programme. CIDA is supporting CARE Canada to protect the lives and health of the flood-affected population by addressing the most immediate priorities of essential non-food items and water sanitation and hygiene services by providing 10 000 flood-affected people (2 000 households) with emergency shelters items and essential emergency household items such as plastic sheeting bedding materials and mosquito nets; by providing 25 000 flood affected people (5 000 households) with improved access to sanitation through the provision of hygiene kits and sensitization on improved hygiene practices and training 50 village committees on good hygiene practices.