People in Need and the EU support displaced vulnerable communities in DRC
Published: Aug 4, 2022 Reading time: 2 minutesKinshasa, 31 July 2022: The international NGO, People in Need (PIN), in collaboration with Médecins du Monde (MdM), has completed a one-year project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, providing specialist medical care to over 29,000 people in hard-to-reach areas. The two aid agencies used seven mobile clinics to reach vulnerable populations in Bijombo, Mulenge, Langala Bwegera, and Lemera health zones. The project was financially supported by the European Union.
Renewed conflict in Eastern DRC between April 2021 and January 2022 resulted in new waves of internally displaced people in the isolated area of Hauts Plateaux in the Uvira region of South Kivu. The project enhanced the availability and quality of primary health care services provided to the displaced populations. More than 87,339 people were displaced during this period and the health zones remained the only places where people could find safety, health care, nutritious food, and protection.
To help severely acutely malnourished children, People in Need distributed 1,907 cartons of Plumpy-Nut and 29 cartons of therapeutic milk. PIN’s local health workers also organised 379 cooking classes for women to increase their knowledge of good nutritional practices and to help them preparing healthier meals.
Médecins du Monde reported that some 2,000 children under one year old were fully vaccinated against preventable diseases, while 2,331 pregnant women received prenatal care to give birth without risk.
Apart from nutritional and health activities, the project supported local health structures to rehabilitate sanitary installations such as rubbish pits and incinerators. Project staff reinforced the population’s awareness of good hygiene practices and distributed soap to nearly 3,000 people.
Working in the Democratic Republic of Congo since 2008 and partnering with the European Union, People in Need is dedicated to addressing the needs of the most vulnerable Congolese.
About EU Humanitarian Aid
The European Union and its Member States are the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and human-induced crises. The European Commission ensures rapid and effective delivery of EU relief assistance through its two main instruments: civil protection and humanitarian aid.
Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian aid Operations department (ECHO), the European Commission helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the department provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.
For more information, please visit the European Union’s Humanitarian Aid website.
Press contact:
Karolína Šugarová, PIN Support Communication officer, +420 725 941 971
