Humanitarian crisis in the DRC as the number of children and families displaced by violence nearly doubles

Droves of people continue to flock to already overcrowded camps of displaced persons in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo following sustained fighting between the government forces and the M23, creating unthinkable human suffering.

At least 90,000 people, displaced since October 20, need urgent supplies of food, water, and proper shelter after fleeing the advances of armed groups in eastern DR Congo.

Some already displaced families are fleeing for their lives yet again, with almost nothing. They are now surviving in squalid conditions outdoors, under trees, in school classrooms and churches where they suffer heavy downpours, with near to zero support.

“Families that have fled are in a desperate state. They lack fod to eat, clean water to drink, almost no change of clothes, and are crammed in classrooms and churches with limited access to toilets. In this situation, the children are extremely vulnerable to hunger, ill health, sexual violence, and getting lost, ” warns Aline Napon, World Vision’s National Director in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  

“We need secured humanitarian access to the affected communities and a rapid scale-up of emergency supplies. These must include food, cash assistance, WASH, and dignity family kits (including a container to carry and store water, a bucket, soap, and basic menstrual towels),” World Vision’s David Munkley in East DRC says.

World Vision is currently on the ground attending to multiple crises in the country with the support of food and water, protection, and psychosocial needs to the displaced population, but the needs outweigh the supply.

The crowded camps lacking the necessary sanitation facilities during the prevailing rainy season have left the affected communities susceptible to the outbreak of diseases, like cholera and dysentery. Children are missing out on meals, education, and medical care, and some could die.