SUPPORT VULNERABLE DISPLACED PEOPLE FROM CONGO

USING GAMES TO UNITE DISPLACED PEOPLE IN CONGO (DRC)

The unending political instability resulted into massive displacement of the population with the majority fleeing to the Ituri region. This has put the hosting communities and the new entrants in dire need of food, shelter, sanitation facilities, essential household items, health services and nutrition. Thousands of pregnant women and children are lacking appropriate nutrition care. People are living in dilapidated conditions making the outbreak and subsequent spread of diseases such as cholera a time bond. It is a disastrous situation and despite human crisis, while very recent, its not getting enough attention. More than one million people are in urgent need of assistance. Thousands of children, again, now extremely vulnerable have been forced to join local militias. Women are increasingly becoming victims of sexual violence and disabled people are now victims of discrimination in their own communities. In the last six months we introduced games to unite people and provide health education during football or soccer games.

The access to health care is becoming very difficult, the rehabilitation care is unheard of. Risk of malnutrition among the local people is now hitting high levels increased by the inability to carry out farming. With the fighting extending to Ituri region sometimes, the millions of people with half being children that have been relying on humanitarian aid to survive suffer due to disruption of access to food, water, shelter and healthcare and this further pushes the vulnerable people into the abyss of suffering.  In these extreme conditions innocent people are having the hardest time of their lives making their minds get filled with the traumatising memories. And for children, it is worse since they will forever be victims of PTSD since relieving institutions such as schools where children can play peacefully with each other are not available or the children are finding it hard to get integrated into the schools. Displaced children know nothing but fear, poverty and violence. Generation after generation can think only of survival. Without sustained humanitarian intervention, thousands of children will die from malnutrition or disease and displaced population will not receive the basic lifesaving services they highly depend on.

With all this occurring the least the world can be is being indifferent, we need resources to continue helping these communities especially the children have a bright future. Be part of this project so as to aid in the pooling of the resources to make a better impact.

The Ituri Province of Democratic Republic of Congo is Relatively Calm Compared to the Regions of North Kivu and South Kivu. There are more than 2, 000 people displaced into the Ituri Region mainly from the conflicts in North Kivu. Most of the people stay around churches and they keep getting spiritual counselling. The United Nations says that armed violence has forced more than 6 million people in the DRC to flee their homes, making this the highest number of internally displaced people on the African continent.

Volker Turk, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, warns the conditions leading to the deteriorating situation are worsening as the violence of numerous armed groups, notably in the eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, escalates. “The armed groups, M23, ADF, CODECO, Zaire and Nyatura, continue to carry out egregious attacks against the civilian population and they do this with full impunity,” said Turk. “The armed groups, M23, ADF, CODECO, Zaire and Nyatura, continue to carry out egregious attacks against the civilian population and they do this with full impunity,” said Turk.

The displaced people feel insecure and the hope of going back to their homes keeps fading everyday. According to UN More than 100 armed groups operate in the eastern DRC. Human rights experts have expressed concern particularly about the continued hold of large swathes of territory by M23 rebels in North Kivu’s Petit Nord region, noting that violent attacks by the group against local communities and villages have displaced nearly 900,000 people.

Our project in DR.Congo is still looking for support to get the children integrated into schools. Children feel less traumatized when they play with other children in schools.