Posts Tagged ‘Democratic Republic of Congo’
4 Things to Know About Recent Conflict in Democratic Republic of the Congo
A new surge of conflict in Democratic Republic of the Congo is exacerbating one of the most neglected displacement crises in the world.
Recently, our team visited one of the large camps for internally displaced people (IDP) located on the outskirts of Goma. We spoke with pastors and members of World Relief’s Church Empowerment Zones who had been displaced.
We talked with women and youth, as well as church leaders and municipal authorities who are handling displacement issues. Everywhere we went, people expressed deep sorrow for the families who have lost loved ones due to the cholera epidemic in the camps, for the sisters and wives who have been raped amidst the conflict, for the thousands of children who cannot go to school and are stuck on the main roads with their families.
In all my years of working in the humanitarian and disaster response sector, I have witnessed terrible misery and despair. But what is currently happening in DR Congo is truly mind-boggling. For all those in these camps who have been displaced many times before, they are remembering past conflicts and displacements with great vividness.
While the crisis is heartbreaking, the long slow work of change continues taking shape. At World Relief we’re committed to assisting the local pastors, activists and community members who are fighting for change within their own communities.
Today, we’re sharing four things you need to know about the most recent conflict in Democratic Republic of the Congo and why it matters to World Relief. Let’s dive in.
1. The current conflict is centered in the North Kivu province, near Goma City.
In August 2022, clashes resumed between DR Congo’s military and rebel group M23. For the last decade, the rebel group had largely been held at bay. But the resurgence of violence triggered a new wave of displacement, violence and hunger in the country’s North Kivu province.
The cause of this conflict and the ongoing driving factors are incredibly complex and hotly debated. Since fighting began, the M23 has been active in a large portion of the North Kivu province, surrounding the capital of Goma. In February, the group advanced toward the city causing widespread panic in the region. While they did not reach the city and a ceasefire was put in place, many continue to live in fear and uncertainty.
2. More than 5.5 million people have been displaced as a result of the conflict.
Most of these families and individuals are now living in both formal and informal settlements for internally displaced people (IDPs).
Basic services including access to food and water, are scarce in camps. A recent report by the International Red Cross indicates that 93% of IDPs recently settled in camps in and around Goma are in dire need of essential household items like blankets, cookware and fabric.
Over the last year, education has been disrupted for more than 600,000 children in North Kivu.
Prior to this conflict, many of these individuals and families were living successful self-sustaining lives as farmers, traders, transporters, etc. But in the rush to escape the violence, they left everything behind and it’s unclear when it will be safe to return to their homes.
3. People in DR Congo desperately want peace.
While DR Congo is home to more than 100 armed groups operating in the eastern region, citizens are actively finding ways to come together and creatively pursue peace.
Artists in Goma are painting murals to amplify their call for peace and urge people to reject violence. Women across eastern DR Congo are mobilizing their communities, strengthening connections between local authorities and the communities in which they work, documenting human rights abuses and holding perpetrators accountable.
Though the loudest and most consistent narrative coming out of DR Congo is one of war and pain, the strength, resolve and collective push for development and healing must not be overlooked. In fact, much of World Relief’s work in the region is spearheaded by local pastors and community members who are working together to unite churches and build peace.
4. World Relief has been partnering with communities in DR Congo for more than two decades and staff are responding now.
Since 2001, World Relief has been working to address the root causes of conflict in Democratic Republic of the Congo and facilitate stability and healing in the country. Village Peace Committees were piloted in the early 2000s as part of an ongoing initiative to disrupt cycles of revenge that have the potential to escalate to violence by focusing on reconciliation and forgiveness.
Today, we’re responding in the hardest hit regions near Goma providing food and non-food items as well as hygiene and sanitation aid.
In partnership with local church groups, IDP committees and other NGOs, World Relief is identifying those facing the most acute hunger needs, prioritizing female-led households, people with disabilities and the elderly. Monthly food distributions, consisting of beans, maize, oil and salt, will provide for 100% of household emergency nutritional needs based on internationally-recognized standards.
Learn More
DR Congo faces one of the most complex and neglected humanitarian crises of our day. While this may not be making headline news, it’s affecting millions of people. Their stories matter and we believe it’s important to stay informed beyond the headlines.
Linked below are several stories from DR Congo and from Congolese refugees who are now living in the United States, as well as a few recommended resources for learning more about the history of DR Congo.
Stories from DR Congo:
- Change United to Bring Peace and Restoration
- World Relief DR Congo is Building Resilience from Ashes
- Global Peace Starts With Us
- Frontline Report: Democratic Republic of Congo
Congolese Refugee Stories
- Worth the Wait: A Story of Faith, Hope and Perseverance Despite the Odds
- From DRC to the 253: A Blacklisted Journalist Hasn’t Given Up Working or a Better Congo
- Rebuilding Welcome in Memphis
Learn More About DR Congo
Charles Franzén has been working in humanitarian and disaster response sector for more than 25 years. Prior to assuming the role of Humanitarian and Disaster Response Director at World Relief, he served as the Country Director in Democratic Republic of Congo for five years.
The Humble Lion
Samaki mkunje angali mbichi – Bend the fish when it is still wet and fresh
Mauridi Masumbuko admits that he lives by this Swahili proverb, and to hear him talk about his flexibility and adaptability you would think he had a lifetime under his belt to fully comprehend this invaluable lesson.
But Mauridi, known as Simba to his friends, is only 20 years old. The gregarious and excitable young man speaks upon the topics of faith, family and responsibility with wisdom and insight of someone twice his age.
Born and raised in a refugee camp in the region of Kigoma, Tanzania, Simba began attending spiritual classes with his father when he was just three years old. Although the classes were intended for older children, his father knew the importance of teaching children while they were young and impressionable, and Simba absorbed the Baha’i teachings like a sponge.
These fundamental lessons in his faith allowed him to see life through a unique lens. He found peace while shepherding his family goats in the quiet forests of Tanzania. He learned respect for elders when asked to run his father’s bike shop.
He gained responsibility as he earned extra money for his family, selling bags of peanuts at the beginning of local soccer matches. And he felt true kindness from a community that loved their neighbors as if they were family. This was his community.
Simba’s parents welcomed four more children while in Kigoma, and as the family grew, opportunities outside of the camp became more pressing. Collectively the family decided to apply for resettlement in a third country.
“One of the major reasons to go to the U.S. was the schooling opportunity, to provide for our family and [those] back home,” Simba said.
His father had anticipated the obstacles their family would face, and he encouraged them to remember why they left Tanzania. Once in the U.S., Simba recalls his father saying, “It’s not all of these other fancies – focus on what we talked about – our plan.”
“That kept us going…that was our fuel.”
Usiwe mwoga wakuuliza maswali – Do not be afraid of asking questions
On September 15, 2016, Simba’s family arrived in Durham, North Carolina with mixed emotions. The paperwork provided to them in the refugee camp had been in English – the family spoke Swahili – and the stock photos of a house, two cars and an airplane flying overhead led them to believe that it was a picture of their new life waiting for them in the U.S.
Simba laughs about this when recounting the story, but imagine his surprise when he walked into an 800-square-foot two-bedroom apartment outfitted for his seven family members.
The journey to find his new community in Durham was not easy. During his first year of American high school he was bullied, belittled and told to go home.
“[American] culture is way, way different…literally everything is different,” Simba said. “Making friends there it was like way, way easier because everyone was interested in everybody.”
During this time Simba enrolled in the Refugee Youth and Immigrant Services Department (RYIS) at World Relief where he found a mentor, Rob Callus, to help him through these early challenges.
Although his freshman year was unforgiving, Simba found his stride in summer school. Within three months of asking questions, as his mom encouraged him to do daily, he became fluent in English. With the language mastered, he breezed through the academics of high school.
He served as a pseudo-teacher’s assistant for those classmates who had previously laughed at him, stolen his homework and told him to go back from where he came. Simba proceeded to make honor role nearly every semester henceforth. In May of 2019 he was named Durham Public School Student of the Month, and in June of 2020 he was awarded student of the year at C.E. Jordan High School.
Mauridi was not just given the nickname Simba by his peers because he happened to like lions, he proudly earned the title proving his strength, courage and bravery.
After graduation, Simba had an opportunity to answer a personal calling to serve Baha’i youth throughout the U.S., teaching many of the fundamental lessons he had learned as a boy in Tanzania.
A year later, he returned to World Relief Durham to serve as a Youth Fellow under the leadership of his mentor Rob.
Jina jema hungara gizani – A good name shines in the dark
Rob created the Youth Fellows program in 2019 as a stepping stone for former youth program participants. Youth Fellows is a paid position at World Relief Durham that helps former World Relief Clients like Simba gain employable skills such as time management, program development and team building while giving equal attention to higher education, civic engagement and personal development.
That summer, Simba became World Relief Durham’s very first Youth Fellow, and he wasted no time diving in and making the most of his new job. His personal experiences provided a unique perspective for Rob and his team, as he could better relate to the youth RYIS intended to serve.
“He already had the bones and tools inside himself,” Rob said. “Our team created spaces for him to let it shine.”
Like many young adults, Simba has a multitude of stressors competing for his time. He is juggling a full-time job as a Youth Fellow, attending college and assisting with his siblings’ education.
“I’ve learned a lot about meeting him where he is at,” Rob said. “When something is bothering him, you can tell. Some days we just need to sit on the bean bag chairs in the office and talk about school work rather than jumping right into the program for the day.”
It is no secret that Simba misses his home in Tanzania, and after hearing him passionately speak about the community and culture which so lovingly embraced him, I understand. When asked what he misses the most, without hesitation he says, “I miss the opportunity to see transformation in yourself.”
After reflecting on this answer, I wish that I had been courageous enough to sit with his raw, genuine and wise response. But in a hurried fix-all American fashion, I told him that he is transforming the community here. He kindly laughed and humbly said that he doesn’t necessarily think in those terms, but he continues to pray for the ability to be of service to others. Simba, the humble lion, you are already living out your prayers.
You can come alongside young men like Simba and create lasting change by partnering with World Relief. Give today to support programs like Youth Fellows or sign up to volunteer today.
Adrienne Morton began volunteering with the local refugee population in 2013, when asked to teach English to a recently resettled family from Myanmar. She went on to serve as a Resettlement and Outreach Coordinator for Lutheran Services Carolinas. In 2019 she received an MA in Refugee Protection and Forced Migration Studies from The University of London, and currently works as a contract grant and content writer for World Relief Durham. She recently launched BELONG NC, a nonprofit dedicated to providing early education to local immigrant children, in addition to opportunities that empower their stay-at-home caregivers, like herself, to lead and engage in their new community.
Change Unites to Bring Peace and Restoration
Today, on International Day of Peace, harmony seems hard to find. Friends, families, communities and nations are divided. If you’re like us, your heart aches at the divisions driving disunity, conflict and even war around the world. But we believe God’s heart is for reconciliation — and wherever God is, there is hope.
World Relief DR Congo’s Berger Bireo shares how he came to understand that a unified church has the power to create lasting change in communities around the globe — his own included. This lesson in unity not only shaped Berger’s own view of the church, but has motivated him to build peace and call the global church to unite in our common identity as children of God, being agents of peace wherever we go.
*This blog was originally published on Nov. 23, 2020 and was updated on Sept. 21, 2021.
“Blessed are those who bring peace, for they will be called children of God. ” – Matthew 5: 9
Cycles of Conflict
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), referred to affectionately as the Heart of Africa — rich in resource, culture and beauty. As the second largest country in Africa, she is home to over 60 million people representing more than 450 tribes and languages.
Although DRC’s tribes have lived together for centuries, some influential leaders have exploited their differences and created artificial ethnic rivalries. Sustained conflicts have been fueled by various sources: armed militias, land disputes, the return of refugees and internally displaced people, gender-based violence and the widespread rape of women. As a result, the nation and its people have been engaged in a cycle of conflict and violence which has stolen more than five million lives and kept millions more from being able to realize their full potential.
Since 1996, people have not experienced a notable period of peace. In fact, the majority of children in eastern DRC have never known peace in their lives.
An Instrument of Peace
It’s easy to be overwhelmed and discouraged by this conflict-ridden history. There are days when I myself struggle to see beyond these seemingly devastating challenges. Yet I believe that God gave us the very instrument needed to establish peace in DRC: the Church.
I did not always recognize the power the local church could have in bringing peace to DRC. In fact, prior to joining the World Relief team, I worked as a Pentecostal pastor. I loved my congregation, but we were inward-looking, believing our needs and our views were all that was important. Working with World Relief has changed the way I view things. I now see that when the whole body of Christ is united together — regardless of church or denomination – we can move mountains.
At World Relief, we believe that when the church is mobilized to achieve its full potential, it has the power to change our world. The local church offers the greatest hope of reconciliation between classes, tribes, ethnicities and political parties by unifying people under a common identity in Christ. In DRC, I’ve seen this with my own eyes.
As head of the Department of Mobilizing Churches for Integral Mission, I lead trainings with local church leaders, encouraging them to recognize the positive impact of coming together in unity to address their community’s problems. Together, I’ve witnessed these once divided churches mobilize to serve the most vulnerable — building houses for widows and widowers, visiting the sick and taking care of orphans.
As a field agent, I also facilitated the establishment of 130 village peace committees in some of the DRC’s most tumultuous areas. Through this effort, we reunited more than 2,000 divided families, as well as the communities of North Kivu Province, who once saw one another as enemies, but who today come together as friends working toward peace and unity.
Village Peace Committees are part of an ongoing peacebuilding initiative that World Relief has embarked on in partnership with local churches and community leaders in eastern DRC. Each committee is made up of 10 members from various social and ethnic groups in the community who are trained in conflict mediation and relationship restoration, seeking to promote peace between individuals, families and communities. This mediation interrupts the cycles of revenge that have the potential to escalate to violence by focusing on reconciliation and forgiveness.
A Vision for Unity
Today, many local churches have become instruments for transformation and unity in DRC. Five years ago I would not have believed this possible. And it’s my greatest prayer that this can be true for the global church, too — that God’s people, united around their common identity as children of the Most High, would lead us in the way of Peace.
On the night before He was crucified, Jesus prayed that we would be one as He and the Father were one (John 17:21). The theme extends throughout scripture. Psalm 133 exclaims “how good and pleasant is it when brothers dwell together in unity.”
1 Corinthians 1:10 appeals “that there be no divisions among you.” And Galatians 3:28 tells us “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
As Christians, we are called to be agents of peace, and to put our identity in Christ alone. This is no small task, and it is hard work. But I believe this was the very purpose for which the church was created. As followers of Jesus, we must be the shining city upon the hill. We must lead in love because we cannot call people to live differently if we ourselves cannot gather together in peace and unity.
Each night, my family and I gather in prayer for DRC. We pray for the people of our nation, for sustainable peace and for DRC to serve as an example of the change that is possible when once divided churches and communities unify for peace.
Take the next step to build peace and lasting change in communities across the globe by joining The Path. Now through September 30, 2021, when you join The Path with a monthly gift, your entire first year of giving will be matched up to $100,000.
Berger Bireo has been working with World Relief DR Congo since 2013. He started as a conflict resolution facilitator and is currently Deputy Program Coordinator and Chaplain of World Relief Congo. He is passionate about working for social, economic and spiritual change for World Relief staff and their families, as well as for whole communities in order to create peace for the sustainable development of God‘s children.
World Relief DR Congo is Building Resilience from Ashes
The Eruption
On May 22nd in the town of Goma, DR Congo, Mount Nyiragongo lit up the sky with a red glow. Many of the 2 million residents recognized the signs and feared the worst — the towering volcano was once again active. By early evening, their fears were confirmed when the volcano began to spew lava.
With orders to evacuate, many residents gathered what belongings they could and fled toward neighboring Rwanda and other areas in DR Congo. While the lava flow stopped short of reaching Goma, it destroyed the homes and livelihoods of thousands of people in the surrounding area.
Our own World Relief Congo staff were among those temporarily displaced from their homes and workplaces. And yet, they continued to care for local communities.
Following the eruption, World Relief dispatched a field team to assess the scale of the disaster. Along with partner agencies, they found that close to 95,000 people in 20 villages have been directly impacted by the eruption including the complete destruction of 3,873 homes, 13 schools, seven churches and three health centers. More than 20,000 residents were displaced and over 30 people died.
A Neglected Crisis
For DR Congo, the recent eruption of Mount Nyiragongo is the latest in a decades-long struggle for stability. The nation faces ongoing conflict between multiple armed groups. Sexual and gender-based violence and trauma are commonplace. Frequent attacks on villages disrupt people’s ability to feed and provide for their families.
Food insecurity has been identified as a neglected humanitarian crisis in DR Congo. Natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions put even greater strain on limited resources. The eruption of Mount Nyiragongo is expected to have long-lasting effects on health, livelihoods and stability in Eastern DR Congo. Farmland, which people in nearby villages rely on to feed their families, has become unusable, covered by hardened lava rock. World Relief is collaborating with local communities and aid agencies to respond to this disaster and find solutions for these ongoing crises.
A Vision for Change
World Relief has a strong legacy of this kind of collaborative work in the region. For almost 20 years, we have partnered with local churches and communities to facilitate healing and stability in DR Congo.
World Relief Congo staff member, Berger Bireo, shared, “It’s easy to be overwhelmed and discouraged by [DR Congo’s] conflict-ridden history. There are days when I myself struggle to see beyond these seemingly devastating challenges. Yet, I believe that God gave us the very instrument needed to establish peace in DRC: the Church.”
At World Relief, we believe that when the church is mobilized to achieve its full potential, it has the power to change our world. And we’ve seen it happening in DR Congo.
Churches and believers in DR Congo are uniting around their shared identity in Christ to care for the vulnerable in their communities. Last year, World Relief partnered with local churches to provide 400 farmers with training on improved agricultural techniques, assist 450 women with post-Sexual and Gender-based violence care and provide access for 375,535 people to community-based conflict resolution mechanisms through our village peace committees.
In partnership with the local Church, we are addressing holistic factors that can not only increase stability in communities entrenched in conflict, but also bring physical, emotional and spiritual healing to the nation. This work is bringing real, lasting change that will help DR Congo become more resilient in the face of natural disasters like the recent volcanic eruption.
Not Forgotten
Although DR Congo is home to one of today’s most neglected crises, God has not forgotten the people in the “Heart of Africa.” And, in the face of natural and man-made disasters, neither has World Relief.
Amanda Patterson, HDRU Program Office for DR Congo and South Sudan, shared, “We know that this event is just one more challenge that the Congolese people must overcome. The silver lining is that the global spotlight will once again shine on DR Congo. It is a country that gets so little attention, and yet in sheer numbers alone, DR Congo is the number one country facing the largest global hunger crisis.”
As Goma and the surrounding region recover from the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo, we remain committed to improving long-term peace and stability in DR Congo. We will continue working alongside local churches to help them realize their own resources and power, through the Spirit, to transform lives.
Source: https://www.wfp.org/countries/democratic-republic-congo
You and your church can join us in empowering local churches and creating lasting change in places like DR Congo by joining The Path.
Kelly Hill serves as a Content Writer at World Relief. She previously served as Volunteer Services Manager at World Relief Triad in North Carolina before moving to Salt Lake City. With a background in International and Intercultural Communication, she is passionate about the power of story to connect people of diverse experiences.
Change Rebuilds: Jerome’s Story
As we round the corner of 2020 toward the end of the year, we’re bringing you more made-for-change stories from across the World Relief community.
Today, World Relief Chicagoland’s Jerome Bizimana shares his story of rebuilding. He fled violence in his home country of the Congo and eventually resettled in Illinois. Jerome now works for World Relief, and his story reminds us that change rebuilds because we serve a God who is in the business of rebuilding.
We hope Jerome’s story excites and inspires you to join us as we come alongside others to rebuild.
Fleeing From Home
It was 1996 and the war had just broken out. The Democratic Republic of the Congo had always been my home. But this was a brutal, bloody war, and it was too dangerous to stay in the country, so my family and I fled. For the next 19 years, we lived in one Tanzanian refugee camp after another. When one camp closed, we packed up and moved to another. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a life away from the war.
One night in 2012, I was attacked by criminals at my home. Luckily, nearby police officers were able to save me from harm, but my assailants escaped. Before fleeing, they told me that they would kill me. They told me that they had to “terminate my life,” but never gave a reason why.
My heart was broken, and from that day forward, I lived in constant fear. I couldn’t sleep, and many nights I would go to bed wondering if I would wake safely in the morning.
My eyes are wet with tears as I write this. I do not usually talk about my past. I prefer to forget the thirty-one years of my life that I lived hopelessly. But I hope that sharing my story will help others by bringing awareness to the need for refugee resettlement support.
Had it not been for the support systems in place, my family and I never would have been given the opportunity to resettle in the United States as refugees. But thanks to the United Nations refugee services, we were given that chance in 2012. We arrived in the U.S in 2015 after three years of waiting.
But relocation was only the first step.
New Challenges
Life in the U.S. was more difficult than I expected it would be prior to my arrival. My family and I had lived a rural life in Africa. This means that we had never rented a house, paid a monthly bill or applied for medical benefits.
I was so confused, and I wondered if I was destined to be homeless. I wondered how I would survive. During sleep, I dreamed of someone breaking into our new apartment and killing us. The trauma from my 2012 attack was apparently still causing me great anxiety and pain, and that pain was now amplified in this new place.
And the culture was so new, too. During the week leading up to my first Fourth of July, I mistook the sounds of fireworks going off at night for bullets. It wasn’t until I was able to speak with my World Relief caseworker the following morning and hear her explanation that I was able to breathe a sigh of relief.
Building Something New
Over the next few years, with the help of the great staff at World Relief Chicagoland’s Aurora office, my family and I slowly built a new life here in the U.S. At first, we survived on less than twenty dollars a week. But thanks to the case managers and employment counselors at World Relief, my family and I continued to work and learn and acquire new skills.
After a while, I started to think about ways that I could give back. I felt so fortunate, and I wanted to help others that were in my situation. In the beginning, I volunteered at World Relief by providing transportation for new refugees who needed a way to get to their appointments. But I wanted to do even more, and so I kept this request in my everyday prayers.
Then one day, a World Relief AmeriCorps Lifeskills Coordinator who had heard about my daily prayer brought to my attention a job opening at World Relief. I first doubted to apply.
“But with my broken English, do you think I will get this position?” I asked.
But he encouraged me to give it a try anyway and leave the rest to God. So I prayed, and then I applied for the job.
A few weeks later, I was offered the position. I am now a Family Support Coordinator at the World Relief Chicagoland Aurora office.
I love working at World Relief because World Relief changes lives. When I do my job, I am helping God’s children. When my service brings a smile to someone’s face, I am happy.
Back in Africa, I lived a life without goals. But now I have many goals. I have hopes and dreams and plans for the future! I go to bed every night feeling safe, and I wake up in the morning without fear.
I never thought I would be living the life I live. But with the support of World Relief, my life has changed. I believe their services are crucial for helping refugees and other immigrants. This helps them build a prosperous life here in the U.S. Even a one-dollar donation to World Relief means a lot. That dollar will save the lives of countless families in need.
Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if World Relief had not come to my aid. I still do not know the answer, but I do know that supporters of World Relief’s mission empower millions of families like mine. I have nothing to give that can show you how important your love and support is, but I so want to say thank you so much.
I keep each and every one of you in the World Relief family in prayers. Your hands have been helping to change our lives — the lives of vulnerable populations. Today, I pray that you join me in helping immigrants rebuild their lives in the U.S. and empower churches around the world to serve the most vulnerable.
Will you join us by giving today?
Jerome Bizimana is a Family Support Coordinator at World Relief Chicagoland. He was resettled in the U.S. in 2015 after leaving his home in the Congo. Jerome is now a dad of three children, and he loves to travel.
3 Neglected Global Humanitarian Crises
World Humanitarian Day
Every year on August 19, we celebrate World Humanitarian Day — a day that commemorates humanitarian workers who, despite all odds, continue to provide life-saving support and protection to those most in need.
Around the world, people suffer daily from extreme poverty, violence, famine, displacement and much more. At World Relief, we seek to serve the most vulnerable in these situations, confronting these complex humanitarian crises with innovative and sustainable programs.
Providing life-saving assistance during an emergency is just one way we get to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Today, we want to share with you some of the lesser-known crises going on in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Sudan where our staff are faithfully working to assist those most in need.
Food Security in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The Global Food Security Index has been ranking countries’ levels of food security since 2012, measured by affordability, availability, quality and safety in access to food. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has consistently ranked in the bottom four, with one in six residents facing hunger every day. In 2019, the DRC ranked #4, only preceded by Yemen, Burundi and Venezuela.
In Yemen, civil war is causing people to go hungry, in Burundi conflict over land resources is one source fueling the country’s perpetual poverty, and in Venezuela, political upheaval has caused massive countrywide inflation affecting the food prices. Yet these countries have not continuously ranked so low on the index the way DRC has. So, why is rampant hunger such an issue in DRC?
Armed groups hiding in the dense tropical forests provide one answer. They wreak havoc on local civilians. Congolese farmers are prevented from accessing their fields; whole villages are raided and sometimes burnt to the ground; gender-based violence has become the social norm, and mass internal displacement has disrupted food supply chains. What’s more, unceasing waves of Ebola outbreaks coupled with measles and now a COVID-19 pandemic has only added to the food security crisis.
Education in South Sudan
For Africa’s youngest nation, civil conflict broke out shortly after South Sudan gained independence in 2011, pitting ethnic groups and political parties against one another. As is often the case, children silently suffer the brunt of conflict. Yet sadly, education is often the most neglected sector in government and humanitarian response in South Sudan.
Prior to COVID-19, UNICEF estimated that 72% of South Sudan’s primary-aged children did not attend school, representing the world’s highest proportion of out-of-school children of any country. UNESCO put this number at 2.2 million children, with at least one in three school buildings non-operational due to war destruction, closure or being occupied by internally displaced persons or military groups.
When COVID-19 hit, the South Sudanese government closed down schools, much like other governments around the world. However, the lack of access to education has far more drastic and lasting effects in South Sudan.
The risk of physical and sexual violence increases as does child labor, sex trafficking, childhood marriage and army conscription. Food scarcity also increases as children lose access to school-provided meals, perpetuating the cycles of poverty and conflict and preventing this vulnerable new country from flourishing.
Political Unrest and Economic Insecurity in Sudan
In April 2019, Sudanese protestors peacefully took to the streets and removed former President Omar al-Bashir. Following the coup, a military-led council took power, prompting another series of protests which continue today. These protests aim to decrease inflation, implement greater civilian rule and reform laws that currently restrict freedoms.
Thus far, much progress has been made: alcohol consumption is allowed for non-Muslims, women can travel with their children without first obtaining the consent of a male guardian, female genital mutilation has been banned, and the crime of apostasy (a person’s conversion from Islam to another religion) has been abolished. Though these reforms signify positive change toward a more inclusive, democratic society, there is still much work to do.
Security forces have responded violently to some protesters, often resulting in death. Additionally, the economic problems at the root of the protests have made life difficult for the average citizen. Increased inflation rates often make it impossible to afford fuel and food, and widespread food insecurity has only been made worse by the presence of COVID-19.
US sanctions and a host of other factors have only exacerbated these economic issues. Sudan is on the U.S. Government’s list of State Sponsored Terrorism, a list that makes it difficult for Sudan to receive aid from international financial institutions, among other limitations. UN Attorney General Antonio Gutierrez has vigorously appealed for Sudan to be removed from this list so that the country can be reintegrated into the global economy, but to no avail thus far.
How We’re Responding
Though these situations can seem intractable, we believe the love of God and the work of His people can bring about lasting change in each of these countries. At World Relief we’re adapting to these constantly changing circumstances and finding innovative ways to serve our beneficiaries through humanitarian assistance and life-saving interventions.
In DRC, 3,500 farmers receive direct assistance in improved agricultural techniques, helping alleviate hunger for 164,000 individuals across three highly food insecure provinces.
In South Sudan, 50,000 students are educated through World Relief supported schools. Recently, one primary school in the Bentiu camp for Internally Displaced Persons ranked #1 in the country for primary student exam score results. During COVID-19, we continue to employ innovative approaches by encouraging student access to national radio learning programs.
And in Sudan, we’re providing malnutrition treatment to over 34,000 children under the age of 5 and pregnant women. We’re also giving agricultural support and food distribution for over 62,000 direct beneficiaries, and we’re further addressing economic crisis and resulting food insecurity by integrating livelihoods training throughout our programming.
Please join us in prayer for our brothers and sisters all over the world who suffer from various humanitarian crises. May we all see the hand of God at work even, in our darkest moments.
Lydia Dawson serves as World Relief’s Humanitarian and Disaster Response Unit Program Officer in Sudan, and in disaster response worldwide. Prior to joining World Relief, Lydia worked in homeless services and community development in Oregon and California. She is passionate about equity and honor for underrepresented groups, both locally and internationally.
Amanda Patterson serves as World Relief’s Humanitarian and Disaster Response Unit Program Officer in DR Congo and South Sudan. Prior to joining World Relief, Amanda worked overseas as a humanitarian responder to refugee and conflict emergencies in Niger, South Sudan, Greece, and Ethiopia with a large Christian NGO. She is passionate about helping others experience the beauty and diversity of God’s creation through art, nature and cultural engagement.
Voices from the Field: COVID-19
Over the last several months, our International Country Directors have recorded video messages to update us on how things are going for their teams and beneficiaries and to encourage those of us living in the U.S. In times like these, we are grateful for technology that keeps us connected as we weather this pandemic together.
You can view their messages below.
Updated on May 5th
Democratic Republic of Congo
“Nothing is impossible with God.” – Jean Nyandwi
Currently, DR Congo has nearly 2,000 known cases of COVID-19, and the number continues to rise. Country Director, Jean Nyandwi, recently connected with some of our U.S. staff and church partners to update them on how Congo was dealing with the growing crisis.
Early on, Jean and his team took advantage of an already planned agricultural program to spread COVID-19 prevention messaging to over 4,291 people. The team continues to spread virus prevention messaging by utilizing our vast network of church partners and program participants. Though the threat of the virus is still very real, Jean offered some words of encouragement at the end of his call. Watch the video below to hear what he had to say.
Updated on April 8
Kenya
“Together, we are still making an impact.” – Elias Kamau
Kenyans are very relational people, and like many in the U.S. they look forward to the day when social-distancing is a thing of the past. Country Director Elias Kamau sent us an update asking for prayer and outlining the ways World Relief Kenya is adjusting its programs, partnering with the Minister of Health and utilizing its network of churches to reach thousands of people across Kenya.
Updated on March 27
Rwanda
“This is my prayer for you. And I ask that you continue to pray for us too.” – Moses Ndahiro
In March, Rwanda issued a shelter-in-place order. Country Director Moses Ndahiro said that the team worked quickly to establish virtual offerings for some of their programs. Moses’ encouragement from Philippians 4 reminds us to continue with a posture of prayer as we move through the unknowns of this season.
Global Peace Starts With Us
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is home to 200 ethnic groups who speak nearly 250 different languages. Its ethnic diversity is matched only by its biological diversity. Rich in culture and natural resources, it’s a beautiful place. Yet, it’s also a country riddled in war, caught up in armed conflict that dates back to the 1960s.
Conflict in the Congo, as with any country, is as complex as it is varied. It ranges from high-level disputes between people groups, to personal disagreements over issues such as land use and resource distribution, to relational discord between community members. At any level, conflict has the ability to disrupt peace within a community and perpetuate cycles of poverty and unrest.
Take Landrine and Neema, for example, two women living in a small village in the DRC. These women were friends and neighbors until a conflict severed their relationship. Neema accused Landrine of having an affair with her husband. The conflict quickly escalated, consuming both of their families and threatening to involve their entire community.
Luckily for these two friends, a Village Peace Committee (VPC) had been established in their community. The women took their disagreement before the committee, received counsel and mediation, and the conflict de-escalated.
Village Peace Committees are part of an ongoing peacebuilding initiative that World Relief has embarked on in partnership with local churches and community leaders in eastern Congo. Each committee is made up of 10 members from various social and ethnic groups in the community. Committee members are trained in conflict mediation and relationship restoration.
World Relief’s peacebuilding activities address community-level conflicts, such as the one between Landrine and Neema, that occur within or between families. These conflicts often involve personal relationships, destruction of property or use of land and other resources. Most critically, VPC mediation interrupts the cycles of revenge that have the potential to escalate to violence or further damage to person or property
In the case of Landrine and Neema, Neema realized that jealousy had caused an untrue story to take root inside her heart. That story lead to a belief that Landrine was sleeping with her husband. That belief led to an accusation, which led to conflict. With the help of the VPC, Neema adjusted her view of the situation by looking critically at the internal narrative she had been writing. This allowed her to see the truth in her relationship with Landrine, and the women were able to find forgiveness and reconciliation with one another.
“We made the decision to forgive each other,” Neema said. “Our husbands…praised the VPC [for helping] us avoid this conflict that could lead to war between two families.”
Today, on the heels of International Day of Peace, we reflect on Neema and Landrine’s experience and are reminded of how much we can learn from the peacebuilding efforts of our brothers and sisters in the Congo.
Peacebuilding works on the assumption that if differences, conflicts and misunderstandings were resolved through a process of introspection and discussion before they escalated, people could live at peace with one another and harmony would reign throughout the community.
There’s no question that our nation is embroiled in conflict at this moment in time. Conflict between political parties as well as the cross-cultural divide happening around issues of immigration have uprooted peace on a national level that has trickled down into our personal lives. Rising levels of violence and the discord we feel when we turn on the news, log in to social media or even sit down to dinner with loved ones can be overwhelming and at times, defeating.
It’s easy to point fingers, to create false narratives and assume the worst of the “other” side. It’s almost natural to take issue with family members who just don’t get it or who we see as less knowledgeable. But as we learned from Neema, communal conflict might be best avoided if we first start with the internal narratives we’ve written, thinking critically about the stories we tell ourselves and being willing to discuss them with others whose views may differ from our own.
Peacebuilding efforts, whether in the Congo or in the U.S, have to start with a mindset change and a desire to live at peace with others, even if it means refraining from our own self-interests.
That’s challenging, isn’t it? To consider that a life of peace requires us to put someone else’s interests, or our community’s interests ahead of our own? It’s far easier to believe we’re right and our ideas are correct. But we would be well-served to remember what Jesus said in Mark 9, that anyone who wants to be first must be last, and a servant of all, and to recall Paul’s words in Phillippians that tell us to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than ourselves.
Peace is a fruit of the Spirit. If God is going to grow it in our world, we must first allow him to grow it in us. In other words, if we want a peace-filled world, we must first become peace-filled people.
Rachel Clair serves as a Content Writer at World Relief. With a background in creative writing and children’s ministry, she is passionate about helping people of all ages think creatively and love God with their hearts, souls and minds.
Women Around the World Who #MakeItHappen – International Women’s Day
“There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women.”
-Kofi Annan
Women make up nearly half of the world’s population, yet in too many cases sexual violence is used as a weapon of war, the HIV/AIDS rate among women is far too high and vulnerable women are often prey to human traffickers.
But mothers and daughters are an integral part of society who not only deserve to be treated well, but also deserve a chance to empower others they already influence in their communities. Empowering women means families are cared for, good nutrition is provided, the growth of economies and reconciliation happens.
As the world celebrates International Women’s Day this weekend, we want to focus on some of the women we know who #MakeItHappen in their communities – normal, everyday women who have been empowered to change the world.
Heroes like Yalala in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) who defy the odds to overcome violence and bring healing to her war-torn country.
Or Emily in Kenya who serves as a community health worker ready to care for her neighbors living with HIV and educate her friends about preventing the disease.
And Orn Raim in Cambodia who’s leading her community against domestic violence and human trafficking.
These women are turning the tide of history as they use their skills, experiences and passions to influence their communities for good. They #MakeItHappen by simply and sacrificially loving their neighbors. These are the heroes of this generation who are making a better future.
Let’s honor these women.
Let’s celebrate them.
Let’s #MakeItHappen.
Savings is HOPE
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) is one of the poorest places in the world. In a country where more than 70% of the population live below the national poverty line and war has led to over 5 million deaths, hope can seem lost. But resilient Congolese women, men and children are working for hope. And Eperance Kayitesi is one of them.
A widow living in eastern DR Congo, Eperance is a mother using what she has to prepare for a better future. Since the conflict erupted in the region almost 20 years ago, life has been hard for her family. With no help from relatives, she singlehandedly supports five children in her home, but can’t afford to send them to school.
Joining the Amani (“Peace”) Savings for Life Group in her village has empowered Eperance to fight the overwhelming odds of poverty. This small group of mostly women subsistence farmers meets together regularly to save, give small loans and make sure each member has what they need.
As a savings group member, Eperance took a small loan to purchase potato and bean seeds, which she planted in her small field. Eperance says that God blessed her yield and her family was able to grow nutritional food to eat.
More than just benefitting from the loan, Eperance was also able to save money. She used the savings to buy two goats for the family – generating income as well as providing nutrition for her family. Eperance considers this a miracle, saying, “I was saving only the small amount that I could, but I received so much. My life is improving because of savings, something I didn’t understand in the past. I praise God for this.”
This month, we’ve discovered the incredibly powerful meaning Savings for Life has for women and men in some of the most vulnerable places on earth. And you can be a part of this – stand with us today as we pursue lasting change through economic development.