PROPOSALS FOR FY 2008 AMBASSADORS' FUND FOR

UNCLAS KIGALI 000377 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR PRM/AFR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREF RW SUBJECT: PROPOSALS FOR FY 2008 AMBASSADORS' FUND FOR REFUGEES REF: SECSTATE 06779 ¶1. (U) Embassy Kigali submits the following two proposals for consideration for funding by the FY 2008 Ambassadors' Fund for Refugees. Note: Post will submit more detailed information on each project to PRM via unclass e-mail. Project: Concrete Drainage System and Spring Capping Description: The American Refugee Committee (ARC) is requesting $20,000 to conduct two projects. For the first, ARC seeks funds to construct a concrete drainage system in Nyabiheke refugee camp to resolve health and safety problems with standing water and to ease relations with nearby farmers who must deal with unsatisfactory drainage and overflows from the current hand-dug drainage system. ARC also requests funds to cap two springs to feed an existing water gravitation system in Kiziba refugee camp, making potable water available to the entire camp. Project: Family-size Kitchens with Fuel-efficient Cooking Stoves and Solar Oven Bread-baking Initiative Description: The World Food Program (WFP) and ARC jointly request $20,000 to construct fuel-efficient cooking stoves for 800 families in Nyabiheke, Kiziba, and Gihembe refugee camps, reducing the amount of firewood needed for cooking and thereby reducing environmental degradation and the need to sell food rations for firewood. WFP and ARC also request support to carry out a solar bread-baking oven project in each of the three camps, establishing income-generating projects to build the ovens and to use them to bake bread that would supply the camps. Justification: ARC received money from the FY 2007 Ambassador's Fund for Refugees for a joint project with UNHCR and the Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC) to provide construction materials for houses for returnees from Tanzania. ARC fulfilled its obligations on that project, though completion of the homes has been delayed due to problems on the part of MINALOC (septel to follow). However, Post believes ARC will successfully carry out either of these two projects should it receive FY 2008 funds. They have the expertise and capacity to implement their proposals and, unlike in last year's project, they would have responsibility for the completion of the entire project, not just the purchase and transfer of materials. Both of the proposals meet needs of refugee camps in Rwanda that are not currently being funded and would have positive effects on large numbers of people, both refugees and the surrounding local populations. ARIETTI