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