Suriname Cabinet delivers food and water aid to villages after Saramaccarivier pollution

The Suriname cabinet, acting through the Bureau Volkscontacten, began distributing food parcels and drinking water to more than 200 households in the Pikin Saron community on 28 July. The aid follows a massive fish die‑off in the Saramaccarivier that has rendered the river’s water unsafe for consumption, prompting health authorities to advise residents not to drink or eat from the river.

Village captain Clarise Moera‑Awalie said, “Our people use the river daily and depend on the fish for food and income. These packages are a great help for the community.” Bureau representative Trevor Adjiembaks added that the cabinet “quickly responded to the community’s needs.” The distribution is the second such assistance for the village, and officials indicated that additional villages are also being supported while a longer‑term solution is being planned.