WHAT WE DO

In Canada, POLICY DIALOGUE AND ADVOCACY We shall engage in policy dialogue and advocacy- to identify areas and spaces for improvements in Canadian support for refugees in Africa. The use of policy dialogue and advocacy will basically be to: Raise awareness among policy makers of the potential benefits of improved humanitarian assistance to refugees in Africa Stimulate the increase in financial, material and human resource allocations for realizing the rights of refugees in Africa Create an environment in Canada that supports these practices The main challenge for CARA is to raise awareness on the magnitude of the problem of refugees in Africa and the available innovative solutions to address these problems from a humanitarian perspective for poverty alleviation. In Africa, we shall work on the following areas:
Refugee youth in carpentry
Emergency Relief Program

We need support for assistance to the thousands of internally displaced persons ( IDPs) by providing emergency shelter, medical care, food and clean water, which they need to survive, at the very early stage.

Program support will include: provision of sleeping mattresses, gloves, hats, flash lights, jackets, second handed shoes and clothes, blankets, stoves, .sweaters etc .Female and baby support packages entails hygiene kits, detergents, hand soaps, baby wipes, shampoo, tooth brush, tooth paste , body rub, cleaning supplies and basic kitchen utensils, pots, cookers ,and cleaners.

CARA intends to provide toiletries and other emergency kits to over 10,000 IDPs within the next 12 months

$10 will provide a towel

$50 allows an IDP to secure a hygiene bag

$50 purchases a mattress

$50 buys a bag of rice and 2 pots

$20 offers a new lamp

$25 buys a thermal blanket

$200 provides a dignity pack for young females

$500 supports a family with basic survival kits, wipes, and toiletries

$1000 supports an emergency shelter for an IDP family of 5 persons

Supplementary Food Aid Program

The situation of the hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons is dehumanizing, precarious and critical. Added to this is climate change which has caused much food insecurity in these countries.

CARA would distribute emergency food packages to refugees in the focus countries. Baskets of food shall include eggs, chicken, ground nut oils, cereals, margarine, sugar, powdered milk, rice, sardines, and canned food.

We intend to distribute 50,000 of such food baskets within the next 24 months. And one protein-rich food basket costs $ 50

Refugee Children Education Program

Thousands of children of school going ages have been deprived of their right to an effective and affordable learning process in most African countries due to conflicts and wars. Schools have been burnt down in many parts of English speaking Cameroon, and the Boko Haram terrorist sect has taken hostage the future of children in Northern Nigeria.

Under the’ Education Can’t Wait’ Framework, CARA intends to mobilize support for over 100,00 children of school going ages within the next two years via the provision of essential books, paying their fees, providing school bags, pens, pencils, exercise books etc especially for urban refugee children and those in the large refugee camps. In this regard, we solicit general support for refugee school children as follows:

$30 supplies a school kit, bag and pencil inclusive

$50 takes care of registration and fees in Primary school

$1000 pays fees and board for a secondary school child

WASH Program

One major and sad characteristic of essential services in refugee settlements is the pressure on water, hygiene, health care and sanitation facilities which are never enough due to the constant influx of persons. In order to forestall infectious and air borne diseases, appropriate measures need to be taken to address issues of good, well treated drinking water. The cost of a water tank from a bore hole in a camp or settlement area for refugees is $6000. We intend to provide 20 of such facilities to refugee settlements in Africa within the next 2 years.

TOOLS FOR REFUGEES IN AFRICA (ToRA) Program

This will enable refugees to be self-reliant. They will develop local solutions to their development challenges through capacity building initiatives.

Although wages remain the most common means for new comers to earn a living, lack of relevant legal documents is a practical hindrance for job acquisition or employment. The best alternative for newcomers is therefore to learn a trade, and /or to start their own businesses. The ensuing benefits are quite enormous for the women, their families and the host community: greater access to markets, income generation, reduced dependency ratio, self-confidence, improved image, increased self-esteem, access to health care, education of their children, and above all, uplift in their dignity:

$300 allows a woman refugee to acquire training in tailoring

$200 will purchase a sewing machine for a refugee woman

$250 offers a refugee woman training in hair dressing, and hair styling

$500 allows a refugee woman to run a call –box.

$500 allows a refugee woman to set up a small kiosk to retail assorted items like sugar, milk, bread, corn, and rice.

$100 gets a refugee youth barbing skills

$30 affords him a barbing machine

$200 allows a refugee youth to acquire photography skills

$500 will open opportunities for a refugee to be educated