By Helen Blakesley

You could call Jean-Philippe Debus an emergency action man. He’s often one of the first humanitarian workers to arrive on the scene of a crisis — whether natural disaster or manmade conflict. It’s his job to advise, to guide and to help provide those in need with the necessities, like clean water to drink or a safe place to bathe.

Jean Philippe Debus supervises the construction of latrines at a displaced persons site in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, in 2009. Photo by Lane Hartill/CRS

Lately, he’s been spending a lot of his time in the Sahel, the swathe of land covering several countries in Africa, just below the Sahara desert. There’s a food crisis brewing there, added to which, rebel violence in Mali has forced many thousands of people to flee their homes in search of safety in neighboring countries. Jean-Philippe has been in the thick of CRS’ work to help those refugees who’ve crossed the border into Burkina Faso and Niger. He shared with us what it’s like to be on the humanitarian ”front line”.

The first thing you have to think about in an emergency response is how to connect directly with the people. Since we’re dealing with human suffering, it’s very important for me to deal directly with people with as few barriers as possible. Of course, there’s often the language barrier, which can be a challenge. Communication is essential in our work. There’s the ‘technical’ side where we basically help provide what people need to survive — shelter, water, sanitation, hygiene, health and food aid. But then we also have to think about people’s well-being, their mental state, and this requires communication and understanding. So that’s why it’s our first concern.
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“It takes a trained eye to see when someone is poorer than poor in Niger. People are living in a harsh environment, it’s a semi-desert, many households can seem badly off at the best of times. But this year, I noticed a change,” said Jean-Marie Adrian, Catholic Relief Services regional director for West Africa.

“A very simple thing struck me. Usually, during the dry season, people weave straw together to make new granaries or they repair the holes in their old ones. But as I drove past villages this time, I saw very few of these new circular constructions. Many had collapsed, with no effort to repair them … because there had been no harvest that needed storing.”
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Malian women cooking near their makeshift shelters in the village of Sinégodar, Tillabery region, Niger. Photo by Souradja Mahaman/CRS

What is happening in the Sahel?

A drought is threatening millions of people in the Sahel, the swath across Africa bordering the Sahara desert. Millions of people are at risk of severe food shortages unless there is a major humanitarian response.

How many people, and in what countries, are affected by this food crisis?

Up to 12 million people, including nearly three million children, are at risk of hunger in parts of Chad, Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Gambia, Cameroon and northern Nigeria.
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A Malian refugee receiving her hygiene kit from CRS in Kizamou, Abala district. Photo by Jean-Philippe Debus /CRS

Thanks to your support, Catholic Relief Services and our partners are mobilizing emergency water, hygiene and sanitation facilities to meet the urgent needs of thousands of Malian refugees in neighboring Niger.

Fighting in northern Mali between the army and a rebel group has forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes. Nearly half have stayed in Mali, and the others have crossed borders seeking refuge in neighboring countries. According to the United Nations, around 25,000 people have crossed into Niger since the end of January—two-thirds of them Malian refugees and a third, Nigeriens. An estimated 500 people are arriving every day.
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CRS information officer for West Africa, Lane Hartill, visited Niger during the last two weeks. In Bermo, he met with students and parents who have benefited from CRS’ education program.

CRS regional information officer Lane Hartill (right) makes a friend during his travels in Niger. Photo by Musa Tambaya for CRS.

I showed up at the market, nosing around, looking terribly out of place. With my swollen backpack and photo paraphernalia, nobody would mistake me for a local. I was following Ruwa, a single dad who was selling a rail-thin goat (he made $12) to buy food for his three daughters. The oldest, Fatchima, 13, goes to a school CRS supports for nomadic children. There was no auctioneer. An intermediary shuttled between the buyer and Ruwa, making the deal. Surprisingly, nobody paid any attention to me. I couldn’t believe it.

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