Generosity for Orphans & Most Vulnerable Children

1. Project progress and current status

Due to the challenging security and financial situation in Goma, particularly the occupation of the city by M23 rebels, all banks in Goma have been closed since January 2025. This closure has severely affected financial transactions, making it very difficult to withdraw funds or access bank accounts even when funding arrives, and has complicated project implementation and responsiveness on the ground.

As a result of these conditions, this project has not yet begun its planned activities. As of this report, $127 has been raised toward the $36,800 goal. Despite the slow start, the need for support among orphaned and most vulnerable children remains acute.

2. Preparatory engagements and context verification

Although we could not commence planned program activities due to financial and operational constraints, Blessed Aid has undertaken important preparatory work to ensure effective implementation once funding becomes available:

• Needs assessment and beneficiary mapping have been updated in collaboration with local community leaders and child protection committees.
• Community mobilization efforts were initiated to raise awareness of the upcoming program and to validate beneficiary lists.
• Partnership communication with local child welfare actors and health service providers has been maintained so that coordination will be timely when funding is secured.

3. Challenges experienced

The main constraint affecting this project is the closure of banking services in Goma, which has limited access to funds, hindered cash distributions to beneficiaries, and delayed operational planning. This situation is beyond the control of the project team and reflects broader security and economic challenges in the region.

Additional challenges include:

• High demand for support from orphaned and vulnerable families, outstripping the small amount of funds received.
• Restrictions on movement due to security concerns, which would further complicate community engagement when activities begin.

4. Next steps

Once adequate funding is received and financial access stabilizes, Blessed Aid plans to initiate the following activities:

• Distribution of essential care packages for orphaned and vulnerable children.
• Support for children’s access to basic education materials and school supplies.
• Psychosocial support referrals in coordination with health and child protection partners.
• Regular monitoring and evaluation to ensure accountability and impact.

We will provide these updates in our next project report.

5. Donor impact and accountability

We are grateful to those donors who have contributed so far; your support confirms that this project fills a real and urgent need. Even though implementation has been delayed, this report transparently communicates challenges affecting the project and underscores the importance of continued support for vulnerable children in the region.

As always, we remain committed to providing regular updates and ensuring that donors are informed about the project’s status and impact as it progresses. support.globalgiving.org

6. Appreciation

Thank you to all our supporters for your belief in the mission of Generosity for Orphans & Most Vulnerable Children. We look forward to sharing positive activity and impact updates in the near future as the situation allows project activities to commence.