Champhai meet discusses project to provide aid to refugees & villagers

Aizawl: A consultation meeting between district administration officials and civil society representatives was held at the Champhai district deputy commissioner’s office to discuss the PATHRISE Project. The project aimed at providing humanitarian assistance to refugees from Myanmar taking shelter in the district, as well as support to the villagers hosting them.The meeting, chaired by deputy commissioner Mohammad Aaquib, deliberated on issues of security and livelihoods of both the refugees and the villagers hosting them.PATHRISE Project workers presented reports on assistance efforts and future plans, including awareness programmes on land laws and activities under the ‘umbrella protection’ scheme, such as child protection measures.Under the project, the refugees are guided not only on how to receive humanitarian assistance from aid agencies but also on how to earn their own livelihoods through farming, animal husbandry and skills development.According to the latest records of the state home department, Champhai district hosts the largest number of refugees in the state, with a total of 12,083 refugees from Myanmar. The refugee count is expected to have increased after the recent influx due to the recapture of Falam city by junta troops and airstrikes on Khawpuichhip that killed seven civilians, including six children, on May 1.