Urgent Action: Aid for the Eastern DR Congo Crisis

Field update from Kalonge, South Kivu, DR Congo

Dear friends and supporters,

Thank you for standing with the people of Kalonge. I want to share what is happening here now, and why your support matters more than ever.

The Ebola outbreak continues

The Ebola outbreak in DR Congo has not yet been brought under control. It is now the worst in the country’s history.

• 4,018 deaths have been reported by the government.
• About 8,300 confirmed cases have been recorded across seven provinces.
• More than 2,000 people have recovered.

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. It has surpassed the 2018–2020 outbreak in both cases and deaths. Worldwide, only the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic has been larger. The virus has also crossed the border, with infections and deaths now reported in Kenya among people who had traveled from DR Congo.

Our Congo office continues Ebola awareness activities in Kalonge, helping communities learn how the disease spreads, how to protect themselves and their families, and what to do when symptoms appear. 

A second crisis: cholera

Kalonge is also facing cholera. According to South Kivu’s provincial health authorities:

• 714 new cases and 8 deaths were reported in a single week (epidemiological week 41, October 2026).
• 22 of the province’s 34 health zones are experiencing outbreaks.
• Authorities point to water shortages and inadequate hygiene as key drivers of the spread.

Cholera treatment is free, and people are urged to seek care at the first sign of symptoms. But treatment alone cannot stop a disease that spreads through unsafe water and contaminated hands.

Why water is at the center

Ebola and cholera are very different diseases. Yet protecting people from both starts with the same basics: clean water and good hygiene. Handwashing, safe food preparation, and safe drinking water are among the first lines of defense. Without a reliable water source, even the best advice is hard to follow.

This is why the water supply work Terra Renaissance carries out in Kalonge is directly connected to disease prevention. When a community has safe water close at hand, families can protect themselves, and local health workers can focus on the people who need them most.

What your support makes possible

Your support helps us keep Ebola awareness activities going and strengthen access to safe water, so that Kalonge can face today’s outbreaks and be better protected tomorrow.

Thank you for being with us. We will keep sharing news from the field.

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