Thank you donors we gave relief aid to 85 vulnerable IDPs in Bulengo Goma DRC
Report on relief aid distribution to most vulnerable IDP in Bulengo Camp in Goma, North Kivu, the Democratic Republic of Congo, here is message from Kulihoshi Musikami Pecos, the Coordinator of COJESKI North Kivu ” Thank you for your generous contributions towards IDPs in Goma
You can also watch our video here ” https://youtu.be/CyzSQbKZXwM?si=wtHKCxpJyoUs2Q7w
Elderly IDP getting their relief aid during the distribution
Introduction
On Saturday may 11th, 2024 we moved to Bulengo IDP Camp and offered relief aid to 85 most vulnerable IDPs. The aid was both a combined efforts from Yagirwa Foundation and funds we mobilized through GlobalGiving.
The aid was composed of 10 Kg Maize Flour, 2 bars of Soap and two packages of Salt, among the beneficiaries we had vulnerable single women, unaccompanied minors, elderly people and indigenous people called Pygmies.
Single vulnerable women getting food during the distribution
The event was attended by the local leader, the representative of the Civil Society, IDP Community Leaders and two media. The activities started by a field works in order to identify the most vulnerable, and then coupons were distributed and then food distribution which started at 10am and ended at 11:20 am. The beneficiaries were happy for the aid and praised God for this support.
This elderly man who is one among religious leader exclaimed and screamed “ Oh my God, this is for me a miracle today, I will not die soon, so it is now true that today I will eat, this in unbelievable, yet it is true, thank you God and bless all these people who have thoughts about us”.
Young girls who have been sexually abused, and her already malnourished child receive the relief aid during the distribution.
We sincerely thank all our donors on GlobalGiving, we really thank Yagirwa Foundation and all our staff members who made this possible. We still count on you in order to restore live here in Goma, and remember if we do not do so many will die of hunger.
This woman is a widow, the husband was killed by the rebels and left her with five children, we hope this will help her.
Background information
The North Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo is at war since 2021, the rebel group of M23 backed by Rwanda controls almost three territories now out of the 6 territories which form the province among these territories controlled by M23 include: Nyiragongo, Masisi and Rutshuru, the atrocities and human rights violations that characterize the rebels pushed thousands of local population to run away from their villages in order to seek shelter in places that are controlled by the Government. Goma the main town in North Kivu and which host the whole administration is therefore the only place which accommodates thousands on Internally Displaced Persons.
The situation on ground
Goma has a population of about 1,500,000 people living into two Divisions: Karisimbi and Goma, and ugly reality is that 60% of the population of Goma are a result of forced displacement in the past and many are still struggling to integrate the town life.
The United Nations estimates that Goma and its surroundings host around 3 million IDP as per now, among them about 2million are in various IDP Camps, and 1million in the host communities. While attention has been put on those in IDP Camps thousands who are host within the communities are totally ignored yet they are facing a dire situation.
Despite this reality Goma has been cut off from main roads that are used to supply local food and other basic commodities because the M23 rebels do control all the roads that lead to Goma. This has put more pressure to families and reduced the capacity to access to local food and other commodities which people need, the direct consequence of this is first of hunger and malnutrition among people, and the most affected are children a vulnerable women.
Shortage of humanitarian response
As per now the humanitarian relief aid is the only option which can help people mainly IDPs to survive for a while, however thousands of people do not access the existing aid, and humanitarian organizations are having their own challenges.
