UEA student caught up in floods horror

Melissa Ilboudo, pictured at the University of East Anglia in June.

KIM BRISCOE
09 September 2009 15:00



A city student has told how she has been caught up in the floods sweeping through west Africa.

Melissa Ilboudo, 23, a development studies student at the University of East Anglia, travelled to Burkina Faso, the country where she grew up, as part of a project to bring water to 16 villages to help them through times of drought.

However, 263mm of rain fell on the country's capital Ouagadougou in less than 12 hours last week, demonstrating how the area is at the mercy of extreme weather.

At least 150,000 people fled their homes as roads were washed away, bridges damaged, and water overflowed a dam into the city centre. At least five people died as buildings collapsed.

Although the torrents disabled the city's power station, Ms Ilboudo was able to send out a message to friends in Norwich.

She wrote: “We are in a critical condition. Even the hospital was flooded. We have never seen this here before. So far people have been helping by giving food, clothes or money.”

Eldred Willey, who attends Norwich Family Life Church with Ms Ilboudo, said: “We were so relieved to hear from her. I know she is going to be at the centre of efforts to help those flooded out. With so many transport links destroyed, she will need protection and wisdom in deciding her next moves.”

Ms Ilboudo finished her message by saying: “Please pray for Burkina Faso.”

Burkina Faso, a landlocked country and former French colony bordered by Niger, Mali, Benin, Togo and Ghana, has a population of 13m, an average income of less than £1,000 a year per head and is the second poorest country in the world.

Ms Ilboudo's project, called Harvest the Desert, will involve digging irrigation channels to take water to the arid north of the country, where thousands of families struggle to survive.

If successful, the work will enable 88,000 people in 16 villages to farm the land throughout the year, rather than just at certain times of the season, and have a supply of water in times of drought. The project is also aimed at bringing solar energy technology to villages to dry produce.

Ms Ilboudo, who lives in the west of Norwich, grew up in Ouagadougou with her parents and brother, but moved to London to learn English after completing her A-levels in her home country.

Christian Aid negotiated a funding arrangement for a project in Burkina Faso in 2008. It was Ms Ilboudo's enthusiasm and concern for her country which activated the appeal in February this year, which has been supported by Norwich churches and the Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Rev Graham James.

Originally Christian Aid estimated that East Anglia could raise £20,000 for the project in two and half years, but already £23,000 has been raised in just seven months and so the revised goal is £45,000.

Since the European Union has a commitment to quadruple donations to the project, this will mean a £135,000 EU grant towards the project.

Do you have a story for the Evening News? Contact reporter Kim Briscoe on 01603 772419 or email kim.briscoe@archant.co.uk

Email A Friend

News: Latest headlines on Evening News 24