The harsh effects of war in Democratic Republic of Congo have left over 2.7 million of its citizens displaced and vulnerable. Our focus is on providing humanitarian assistance, including better access to drinking water and livelihoods.
“Our job here is to leverage the power of community and help people own that power.”
— Albert Mukalay, Hygiene Promoter, Tanganiyka Province
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) faces several challenges, including high levels of poverty, continuous armed conflict in many parts of the country, disease outbreaks including the world’s second largest Ebola outbreak, and high levels of food insecurity. Nearly 13 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance due to one of the world’s most complex and protracted humanitarian crises.
Concern Worldwide has been present in the country for over two decades, providing both emergency responses and managing development programs.
*We are currently responding to the threat of COVID-19 in DRC. Find out more about our response here.
Over 4 million Congolese are registered as internally displaced, and many have been displaced on multiple occasions, further increasing their vulnerabilities and decreasing their assets. In response to these deepening humanitarian needs, we are implementing emergency and development programming in North Kivu, Tanganyika, Haut Lomami, Kasai Central and Lomami provinces.
In May 2020, Concern's rapid response team completed a large cash distribution in Oicha in North Kivu for 8,000 families, many of whom were internally displaced people fleeing extreme violence in Ituri province.
Since the world's second-largest Ebola outbreak began in North Kivu in 2018, Concern has implemented a number of activities and now ensures that Ebola prevention is fully integrated into our programming in North Kivu. In total, our projects have reached 462,272 individuals and 30 health centers.
In North Kivu Province, our teams organized a market, enabling some 3,000 internally displaced people and host families to buy food and household essentials. We have also succeeded in rehabilitating water points, latrines, and local health centers — all in a context where there are no cars and the closest town is 93.2 miles away by boat. In Lomami Province, Concern's DRC team was able to reach over 43,860 people with food, seeds and tools despite severe logistical challenges, including having to cross a river without a bridge.
Some of our key projects in DRC currently include emergency response programs to the country's ongoing humanitarian crisis, while also addressing issues such as malnutrition and gender inequality.
© 2023 Concern Worldwide U.S., Inc
© 2023 Concern Worldwide U.S., Inc
