By Gina Bramucci, IRC: After nearly two years of displacement, conflict-affected communities in Central African Republic are rebuilding and returning to their villages of origin. An International Rescue Committee (IRC) team in the northern region of Nana Gribizi has been implementing emergency response, environmental health, health, protection, Gender Based Violence (GBV) and education programming since February 2007.

As Internal Displaced People (IDP) started moving back toward their villages in early 2008, IRC’s protection team worked with returnees to identify extremely individuals in need of support. Communities came together to help elderly people isolated from their families, children without guardians, people living with illness or disability, and women raising their families alone. With the contribution of volunteer work groups, water is being ported, bricks are being laid, grass is being collected, and homes are being provided for each community’s vulnerable families and individuals.

The nature of displacement in CAR’s northern regions has been fluid over the past year, with civilians moving between their bush encampments and their original villages depending on security. But gradual improvements in the context, and the reopening of schools and health centers with the support of IRC, have now drawn many IDPs back to their villages on a more permanent basis.

Solidarity

The woman on the picture, Madeline, an elderly widow living alone, was sleeping under a tree, with no means of shelter, until her community stepped in to help rebuild her home. Madeline cooked meals for volunteers using food rations distributed by the UN World Food Program, and youth in the area volunteered labor.

One of the young people mobilizing the community and helping Madeline was David, a young man who lost part of his arm last year when he picked up an unexploded rocket left behind by the military. After the completion of Madeline’s home, the volunteers continued working in order to help David rebuild his own home, also destroyed during the conflict.
David worked with community leaders to identify any other individuals in need of assistance during reconstruction. In his small village of 27 families, eight others like Madeline and David were helped with volunteer labor. Once all of the homes were completed, IRC distributed doors to every household through a rehabilitation program supported by USAID.

Security is still fragile in Nana Gribizi, and civilians’ return to their villages remains tentative. But as the rain season approaches, Madeline, David and others displaced by war can once again take shelter from the storms.

For more information:

Gina Bramucci
International Rescue Committee (IRC)
Central African Republic
gina.bramucci@theirc.org