
In the early hours of 3 May, 2023, residents around Rubavu were woken by flood waters rushing through their homes. At least 28 people died during the flooding event, many more were injured and thousands of people had to relocate to emergency internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.
In 2006, AEE introduced a self-help group project to Rubavu. The People’s Institutions (PIs) created through this project quickly coordinated local disaster relief and were acknowledged by the District authorities as significantly contributing to the flood relief efforts. AEE worked with the District authorities and our People’s Institutions to understand the immediate needs and we then sought financial aid from our international partners to meet those needs. We are grateful for the generosity of our partners in promptly offering help and are proud of the initiative shown by the People’s Institutions built through our projects.
Here, three of our PI members tell us about their role in responding to the emergency.
Beatrice - Care-giver and CLA Member

“These floods were a complete surprise! What we did first was share information. We shared information about how the situation was.
“After collecting information and learning about the situation, as a CLA [cluster-level association] we conducted community visits to establish who of the affected people were part of PIs and who were not, and with this information we started to advocate for relief.”
The Duhuzimbaragamubyeyi (“We Are United as Parents”) CLA was closely involved in coordinating the immediate response to the floods, providing material support, comfort, and counseling to those in the Kanyamatembe village, Nyundo sector, where the CLA is based.
“Because we thought maybe support for the affected families would be delayed, we resolved there is something we could do on our own as a CLA. So, we collected and distributed the emergency support we could afford. For example, we supported families with soaps and porridge flour for younger children. Also clothes,as most of their things had washed away in the floods.
“Most of the residents had gone to IDP camps, but some had stayed and we managed to approach them and comfort them. Because of what they had experienced, they were traumatized. Comforting and counseling them is the great thing we did as this crisis came unexpectedly, destroying houses, damaging property, and killing adults and children. Rains would fall again, and immediately they were again traumatized! So, we counseled them and told them not to accept being held back by what had happened, that whenever you are faced with a problem, it’s necessary to face it and find a solution, that a person has them-self to find a solution to the problem. So, comforting them first we told them ‘even though you have faced a crisis, do not give up!’”
Beata - AEE community facilitator and community health worker

Beata is a community facilitator for nine self-help groups in Nyundo sector and a community health worker. Beata attended the training in psychosocial support provided by AEE to assist those affected by the floods, especially children and youths.
“On 3rd May 2023, we really experienced a terrible crisis! It was really terrible. I live in one of the affected communities.
“As a caregiver and at the same time as a community health worker, I received a four-day training workshop from AEE. The training covered childcare, child nutrition, protection, counseling, and how to support those who had crisis trauma.
“After the training, we went to IDP camps to care for children, educating them about their rights and responsibilities, best hygiene and sanitation practices, etc.We kept on supporting them in their communities of relocation [after the children left the camps].We also cared for them by taking child growth metrics to monitor whether they are growing well.
“The training was really helpful to us as we were given skills to support survivors, particularly children both within the IDP camps and afterwards in the communities the surviving families relocated to.We monitor how well the children are growing as part of our regular efforts to collect metrics of child development.”
Marcelline - Federation chairperson

Marcelline is the chairperson of the Inzirayokwikuramubukene (“The Way Out of Poverty”) federation. A significant People’s Institution (PI) in Rubavu, the Inzirayokwikuramubukene federation quickly and independently mobilized its networks and resources to help after the flood. Marcelline explains how the PI structures worked in an emergency:
“Immediately after the flooding, I convened a meeting with all federation representatives to discuss the situation. From this meeting we resolved to urge the members of PIs who were not affected to play a role in supporting the survivors as they can using the means they had.
“The mobilization of PIs was possible through the way PIs are structured: SHGs-CLAs [self-help groups - cluster level associations] and the Federation. So, when resolutions are made at the federation level, CLA representatives in the federation will carry the information to their CLAs and down to the SHGs. During the emergency, mobilization was done through convening an emergency meeting with the federation representatives. Also, information flow in times of emergency will not follow the structure as it is, but members of PIs at the SHG level can immediately call the federation using their mobile phone without passing through the CLA for a timely response to emergency situations.”
Through the Inzirayokwikuramubukene federation’s network, members of the SHGs and CLAs collected clothing and food to give to people in the IDP camps and lent direct help in the search and rescue efforts and the cleaning up.
“We mobilized our PIs to support the survivors and comfort them.We visited those who were in the IDP camps, providing food support to all affected, regardless of whether they were members of our PIs.
“One example, in my area in Burushya Cell, we also experienced flooding but not as terrible as it was in this area. One family in my neighborhood lost two children who died in a house collapse during the flooding. I mobilized the members of PIs in the neighborhood to join with other community members in the search for the bodies of the children and we helped with their burial.”
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