World Vision's humanitarian efforts after the floods in Tahoua/Niger

World Vision's humanitarian efforts after the floods in Tahoua/Niger

Since the start of the rainy season in July 2024, more than 1,000,000 people have been affected by flooding across Niger. In the Tahoua region, heavy rainfall has caused significant damage, including the destruction of homes, loss of livestock, and flooding of farmland. “This year’s floods were very violent. I’m almost 70 years old and I’ve never seen rain like this. First, there were days of non-stop rain, with a recorded rainfall of 105mm. Then our houses began to fill with water from everywhere. Almost every household was affected, and everyone was trying to save what they could in their own homes. The river that ran behind the village then drained floods of water into the village, and it was overflowing,” explains Alio Nomaou, representative of the village chief of Djinguiniss in the commune of Illela. At Abou Almou's house in the village of Kofilalan/rural commune of Barmou, "The rains brought down the three houses on my property. They all collapsed. Luckily, we had time to get out. I now live in a shed with my whole family."

The floods in the Tahoua region have caused several major challenges such as the destruction of infrastructure, economic and agricultural losses among others, as Alio Nomaou explains here: "The rains had destroyed all the fields within a radius of 200 meters from the pond. Everyone was dead within this radius because the water reached their waists. After the water receded, people had replanted, but the rains stopped shortly after, and these new sowings yielded nothing. Nevertheless, all the fields that were spared by the floods produced a fairly good yield. The cowpeas that were replanted afterward also produced an acceptable harvest." This has significant economic repercussions for the affected communities. Thus, "I will have to invest more than 400,000 CFA francs to rebuild my destroyed houses. I will be forced to sell animals and part of my meager harvest to meet the expenses necessary for the reconstruction of my collapsed houses. If God grants success to my children who have gone on the exodus, some of them will help me in this regard as well. God willing, I intend to rebuild these houses before the next rainy season. Even if I have to go into debt to do so, I won't have much choice," adds Abou Almou.

Local authorities and humanitarian organizations are actively working to provide aid to the victims. Efforts are underway to evacuate people from flood-prone areas and provide temporary shelter, food, and medical care. World Vision is playing a crucial role in flood relief in the Tahoua region. The organization has provided NFI kits and cash assistance to those affected. These actions aim to help people recover from the devastating effects of the floods and strengthen their resilience to future natural disasters. "I just received 40,000 CFA francs in cash assistance from the NGO World Vision. This is truly help I never expected. Thanks to this money, I will be able to buy food to add to my small harvest to further ensure my children's livelihood," confirms Fadima Yacoubou, a resident of the village of Garin Ayache. For Kassou Assoumane, beneficiary from the village of Djinguiniss/Illela, “This financial assistance from World Vision will allow us to buy food to partially compensate for the loss of our harvest and have enough to eat for my children.”

As for Alio Nomaou, "With this assistance we are receiving today from World Vision, many households will be able to begin rebuilding their collapsed houses and also purchase other useful items during this cold period to protect their children from the cold. Our entire village will certainly feel relieved."The aid provided to flood victims in the Tahoua region aims to have a significant impact on improving living conditions and rebuilding livelihoods. These combined efforts will help mitigate the immediate effects of the floods and lay the foundation for longer-term recovery for the affected communities.

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• #HumanitarianAid
• #WorldVisionNiger
• #WorldVisionWestAfrica
• #WorldVisionInternational
• #CommunityResilience
• #FoodSecurity
• #Reconstruction
• #Tahoua
• #KitsNFI

Niger Humanitarian and Flood Responses SitRep - December 2024 | World Vision International