Support the Protection of indiginous people in DRC

Report on the progress of this project focusing on indigenous people in various IDP Camps around Goma

Until now, Pygmies remain the most vulnerable communities in all IDP Camps around Goma, and unfortunately relief aid has been based on equality rather than equity in order to suit their particular situations. We observed the need to integrate advocacy among humanitarian actors and because of this we have integrated different clusters where we hope that we shall influence change and lobby for relief aid to incorporate specific needs of people. This advocacy work has cost us almost 7 months now in order to integrate these clusters. Now we need to have a human resource which will drive this advocacy among humanitarian actors in favor of indigenous people and that will require resources.

Our activities and interactions with Pygmies were only limited to Bulengo IDP Camp but now it is extended to five IDP Camps around Goma.  They keep telling their friends about our activities and because of that some have been coming to our offices for various issues. For some it is a something great to have some people who can advocate for them, but we are so frustrated that we cannot respond to their basic needs.

Now more other problems have been presented to the office and our legal is currently working on the cases of those Pigmies arrested and detained in Munzenze main Prison here in Goma, and on the issue of their land which was grabbed by powerful people in Mugunga Goma.

Once again all these cases require financial support which will enable us to handle them very well.

As this project is awaiting for more funds to solve basic needs more other issues are also coming up on which we need to focus.

Thanks

Indigenous people, widows, orphan children, elderly people, single parents, unaccompanied minors, people with disability and people suffering from chronical diseases are particularly affected in IDP Camps more than others

These people among others have no any other means of surviving apart from what they get from humanitarian organizations and people of good will yet in most cases they are over-looked and not much attention is paid upon them during the distribution of the available aid which is given basing on equality rather than on equity. It is even generally difficult for them to be included on the list and as they are vulnerable they do not have opportunities to struggle for themselves.

In terms of their priority of needs, they first thing for them is adequate shelter and especially at this particular moment when the raining season has just started, questions are on how they will live.

Even if we have not yet managed to raise money which can help them to alleviate their misery, we have continued with our advocacy work and now some actors are paying attention to them. In Bulengo IDP Camp for example Pygmies are now being integrated in two main communities: The Catholic and the Protestant and every day when there is something, Pygmies are no longer left outside. This did not exist before despite the fact that they were all in the same camp, each group had stereotypes against the other and could not engage on anything.

On top of our advocacy we have mobilized two groups of people to donate relief aid in Camps and in this these vulnerable people were the first target in both Bulengo and lushagala IDP Camp. In case you move around today and you some among them are well dressed with nice clothes, they are putting on shoes it is because of the work we have done so far. But many more are still in need and they are waiting for support to come but is taking long to reach.

As we continue mobilizing the funds our priorities towards them remain shelter, food, hygiene, health, education and livelihood activities which will make them more self-reliant. We humbly appeal on your kind generosity so that we may address this situation together.