Displaced people, violence, and hunger: tackling insecurity in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Published: Dec 12, 2024 Reading time: 3 minutes
In North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, more than 398,000 people have been recently displaced, with more than 2.68 million forced to leave their homes. Over 99% of displacements are due to armed attacks and clashes. In this challenging context, we improve the nutritional and health conditions of those affected by the clashes.
In the war-torn province of North Kivu, up to one million people have been displaced as a result of the ongoing conflict with the rebel group Mouvement du 23 mars (M23). Due to the armed violence, more than two-thirds of the region's population is internally displaced, and about 4.8 million people are living with host families.
The situation remains tense in the country's east, particularly in South Kivu in the Minova area, where we support those displaced along with the local organisation ADSSEaid. Since August, we have been supporting four health areas in treating malnutrition. We directly help war survivors living in displaced persons camps, with host families, and people in the health area.
Despite growing insecurity, the constant presence of rebel groups, and the area's inaccessibility to challenging road infrastructure, we are providing aid thanks to the financial support of the DRC Humanitarian Funds.
Our teams work with local health workers, supporting them in training and providing technical support in health, protection, and nutrition. We aim to improve the nutritional and health conditions of the population, focusing on children aged 0-59 months and pregnant and breastfeeding women, by improving access to quality treatment services for cases of severe acute malnutrition.
We focus mainly on treating severe and moderate acute malnutrition and community awareness-raising campaigns on behaviour change to encourage families to improve their eating habits, which can cause illnesses.
We are currently supporting four health establishments. We are working with 7,263 people in this health zone, supporting behaviour change awareness campaigns, including 500 children under the age of 5 and pregnant and breastfeeding women due to receive treatment.
Since August 2024, we have partnered with ADSSE thanks to funding from the DRC Humanitarian Funds. The Minova health zone remains isolated, surrounded by rebel groups, and the only way to transport nutritional goods and other materials is via Lake Kivu, which presents drowning risks. Transporting supplies throughout the region remains a significant challenge.
We have a demonstrated track record of delivering high-quality responses and adapting quickly in highly volatile, insecure environments. Our staff faces challenges head-on and looks for ways to deliver assistance in hard-to-reach and frontline areas, requiring solid security procedures while building acceptance, negotiating access, and establishing strategic partnerships with local actors.
