Funding crisis engulfs refugee services in TZ

Dar es Salaam. Under-funding for social-economic projects in refugee camps, through the Burundi Regional Refugee Response Plan (BRRRP), remains a challenge that UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies have to grapple with as they seek to raise living standards for refugees.

At least $217.3 million (Sh450 billion) was set to be disbursed by UN state members for regional protection and humanitarian needs of an anticipated 534,000 Burundian refugees by 31 December 2017 across four major countries of asylum: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, says Ms Chansa Kapaya, the UNHCR representative in Tanzania.

However, according to her, only six per cent of the BRRRP funds has been released in the second quarter of 2017, with a gap of 94 per cent which is more than $203 million.

She added that, the shortfall in resources, combined with limited available camp space, is mounting pressure on reception capacities of the hosting states, Tanzania in particular.

“The response to Burundians in Tanzania remains severely underfunded, with resources needed across all sectors to respond to the urgent needs of refugees and asylum seekers in the three refugee camps of Nyarugusu, Mtendeli and Nduta in Kigoma Region, Tanzania,” she added.

According to her, the funds are needed to keep pace with the construction of transitional shelters and school classrooms across the camps and monitoring of the upcoming Refugee Status Determination (RSD) exercise in Nduta camp.

Also the funds are required for follow up on the work to improve water yields across the camps and continue on the advocacy with the government of Tanzania with regards to construction of temporary school structures.

According to the recent UNHCR fact sheet, there are 242,266 Burundian refugees, who are in concern in the camps of Nyarugusu (65,314), Mtendeli (125,109) and Nduta (51,799).

The report also states how the funding constraints continue to pose challenges for the provision of basic humanitarian services across the three camps.

Protection Challenges

The report says that there is an increase in the number of reported Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) cases.

According to the latest data, intimate partner violence remains in the increase in areas where consumption of local alcohol (Mgoligoli) is found.

The efforts to settle the challenges, through public awareness, and security are in progress, however funds are not there.

“We need to increase awareness on SGBV at the zonal level, but we have limited funds to provide transport for incentive workers to reach those areas,” says Ms Kapaya.

She added that, also UNHCR and partners need to increase the sensitisation of households on the registration policy to ensure there is efficiency in the issuance of refugee ration cards.

Health Challenges

The reports also show that the increasingly high malaria morbidity rate continues to remain as the major challenge in the health sector.

Ms Kapaya said that funds are needed to control the mosquito generation, through pests and nets for the new arrivals.

Also there is a critical need to increase access of health and nutrition services in Mtendeli and Nyarugusu camps through establishing additional posts, as well as expanding and renovating the existing facilities.

Further, Ms Kapaya added that there is also a huge necessity for additional staffing to maintain the quality of access to health care across all camps.

Food Security and Nutrition challenges

The report indicates that, the ration for maize meal remains at 80 per cent (304 grams per person a day) across all camps. They need food raising to bring the commodity ration to match the other food commodities at 100 per cent.

Again for the size of the Nduta, the only food distribution is not enough for the population.

UNHCR needs some money on the ongoing construction of the second distribution centre that would ease some of the challenges faced the refugees and asylum seekers.

Water and sanitation

There is a solar system for the fourth borehole in Nyarugusu Camp that malfunctioned three weeks ago. However, Oxfam-Tanzania is working to repair it to ensure consistency of water yields.

Also two surface pumps out of three available at Kaga River have been grounded due to aging beyond repair and UNHCR is in the course of procuring other pumps for replacement.

Generally, the report shows that lack of water remains a challenge across the camps, particularly in Mtendeli, which poses more risks to the refugee population with the onset of the dry season.

Shelter

So far there are 15,3766 temporary shelters, which is equal to 92 per cent, that have been completed out of the target of 16,724. This work has been going on since last year in all camps.

However, the completion of the 16,724 temporary shelters will only shelter about 35 per cent of 48,452 households in all camps.

Again due to limited funds available, the percentage can be raised to 42 per cent come end of 2017. This, however, is subject to funds availability.

For her part, Nyarugusu Camp chairperson Abilola Angelique said failure to release funds timely causes many sufferings to late and new arrivals in camps due to provision of inadequate services.

“Most of us, have stayed in the camps for decades, while others were born and raised here. But, as you know, we don’t work. So, we very much depend on the funds to survive,” she said.

She added that, in the camps they also need to access good education, jobs, clean water, health and skills on doing business.

She said at the moment there is inadequate number of formal markets in and outside the camps, which pose serious challenges for refugees and asylum seekers to conduct business to generate income.

“You can see that we produce goods but there is no market outside our camps. We study hard but no chances of accessing higher education and also we have skills but no job opportunities,” she added.

She suggested that since there was little possibility for them to continue with higher studies, it would be wise to find funds for the construction of technical colleges that will give them some skills in various fields.

At the same time, on June 21, which is Refugee Deay, the deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Balozi Simba, said the government will continue to receive new arrivals from Burundi, but there was no enough funds to cater for their needs. He said that, the intention is to give then an immediate help which is a place to stay until when they were ready to go back home.

“We need financial assistance from donors to support refugees. It is only a small fraction of refugees who agree to go back home. Most continue to stay here. So, funds are needed to provide them with the basic life needs,” he said.

According to him, Tanzania has received a total of 44,487 new refugees who arrived in the first five months of 2017, particularly, from Congo and Burundi.

However, until 2014, the government neutralised more than 162,000 refugees. It still continues to receive requests for a similar measure to many others.

Also the country, since 2006 has been campaigning for the refugees to go back to their countries voluntarily. This continues to be difficult.