Democratic Republic of Congo

Humanitarian Aid in Murungu

The ongoing conflict in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) between government troops and the Interahamwe militia has disrupted the lives of thousands of eastern-Congolese people. Following the Rwandan genocide in 1994, the Hutu Interahamwe militia responsible for the mass killings of 800,000 Rwandan Tutsis fled the country and re-established itself in Eastern DRC. The presence of the Interahamwe is especially disconcerting as the majority of the eastern-Congolese population are Banyamulenge, ethnic Tutsis.

Murungu corn mill

Murungu is a small, isolated village in DR Congo, half a day’s travel from the nearest surfaced road. It is one of the poorest areas of the country and life in the village is simple but hard. Meeting basic needs such as food and safe water is labour-intensive. The simple task of grinding corn to make flour for bread is a tiring, time consuming, but a daily necessity for the women who live in the village.

Income Generation for Widows

WER is working in partnership with ARM Congo in Uvira to help fund income generation projects for widows and female-headed households. It is estimated that over 2 million people have been killed during conflict in Eastern Congo in the past three years. A generation of men has been lost, leaving behind tragic numbers of widows and orphans.

Total population (millions): 66.0

Life expectancy at birth (years): 54.7

Adult literacy rate (% age 15 and above): 67.2

GDP per capita (PPP US$): 300

Combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrolment ratio (%): 72.4

The recent history of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been one of civil war and corruption. Aptly named ‘Africa’s World War’, the conflict in DRC has claimed an estimated three million lives over the last decade, either as a direct result of fighting or because of disease and malnutrition. Children are by far the most vulnerable, with many thousands dying each year from malnutrition and other preventable diseases. Thousands of children have witnessed atrocities and many have seen a family relative killed in the conflict.

The social and development infrastructure of the country has been left devastated. Many homes, hospitals and schools have been destroyed and vast numbers of people have been left without food, water, shelter or other basic services.

Despite many changes in governmental structure and peacekeeping attempts, the threat of civil war is still very real, with continuing fighting from militia groups and domestic instability. The extreme poverty and violence people face in the country has becoming a pressing issue.

Yet, beyond the conflict lies a country famous for its art and unique music. Five of the National Parks in DRC are listed as World Heritage Sites and are home to many rare and endemic species such as the White Rhino, Mountain Gorilla and the Pygmy Chimpanzee.

The most recent Human Development Report ranks DRC at 176, with a low human development rating status. The Human Development Index (HDI) value is 0.389 compared to the HDI of the UK, which is 0.947.

WER works in the Democratic Republic of Congo in partnership with African Revival Ministries (ARM), Congo.