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IRELAND HAS PROVIDED 36 tonnes of emergency shelter supplies, including 4,500 blankets, 2,100 mosquito nets, 250 tarpaulins, and 150 tents, to Niger.
The announcement of extra aid was made by junior minister Joe Costello this morning following heavy flooding across the west African nation.
The floods have affected about 20,000 households, with almost 8,500 families forced to abandon their homes.
The supplies, which will be airlifted into the country, come from Ireland’s pre-positioned stocks in the UN Humanitarian Depot in Accra, Ghana.
“These essential supplies will allow our partner organisation in Niger, Plan Ireland, to provide emergency assistance to those who have been forced to relocate as a result of the flooding,” said Costello.
Niger has suffered food crises in the past four years, causing a drop in incomes for families, as well as a substantial loss of livestock and other assets.
2012 saw cholera outbreaks, floods, a 33 per cent increase in malaria cases and the influx of some 60,000 refugees from northern Mali.
Recent flooding has affected at least 300,000 people and killed 91 people across the Sahel region of the continent.
According to Irish Aid, the impoverishment of vulnerable households as a result of continued high prices, nutritional needs remain extremely high in 2013.
Over the past two years, Ireland has provided over €2.8 Million in emergency humanitarian funding to Niger.
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Good. Giving useful things instead of cash for officials to squander.
That’s nice, what about all the homeless around Dublin? Be better looking after our own first!
You think the homeless in ireland are worse off then the people this aid is being given to, seriously?
Your thinking would mean the real poverty in this world would go unchanged until the western world have managed a perfect society. This will never happen.
I agree that we should be looking after our own homeless a lot better but trading one for the other makes no sence. We could do both with a little more resources. This story helps me understand that we are indeed a good nation when it comes to helping the less well off & gives me a certain pride about Ireland. We do however need to take care of our own something we have always struggled with. That does not need too impact on other aid projects.
Good stuff
Poor them, if they were bondholders we would have given them loads of money, even though we didn’t borrow it from them. Niger should get in the bondholder business.
I read that too quick lol…
Have to admit i read that headline at 7am still half asleep just looked back at it coz i was shocked at headline and realised i read it way 2 fast and half asleep :(
Ditto.
Me too! Jayzuz!
Hill 16 so now the people of Dublin are worse off than the people in Niger? Don’t be so silly
The Sheriffs a Niger
hill 16 is Dublin only!
Good work, but like other posters I do ask why couldn’t some of this aid have gone to homeless on the streets of Ireland note Ireland not just Dublin
What about my free blanket and my mossy net ??? Im cold and been eaten alive here !!
have your say