As the DRC enters the forth year of war, the humanitarian crisis
is growing through out the country affecting the overwhelming majority
of its population. Massacres of innocent civilians in the villages,
jungle battles and indiscriminate bombardments have killed tens of
thousands and left countless others to die of disease and starvation.
The current child mortality rate at 200 per 1000 live births, according
to the recent UN studies, is amongst the highest in the world and
mainly due to war related outbreak of diseases and malnutrition.
The fighting between two foreign armies of Rwanda and Uganda that
took place in June 2000 in Kisangani district is said to have caused
close to 800 deaths with over 3,000 injured while tens of thousands
of people were displaced. The town was literary left in ruins as public
buildings such as schools, churches and other buildings were completely
destroyed by intensive shelling. After this fighting, the Eglise du
Christ au Congo (ECC) sent an appeal proposal to the ACT CO. to respond
to some of the humanitarian needs. In order to improve the humanitarian
response in the area, ACT requested the Lutheran World Federation
/ DWS to work with the churches in Kisangani in coming up with a program
of response. Meanwhile, ACT released $40,000 from the Rapid response
Fund to the ECC to meet the most pressing needs of the worst affected
people.
We are glad to announce that LWF/WS has decided to open an office
in Kisangani to work with the local churches in responding to the
humanitarian needs of the people. The LWF - Kisangani office would
be under the management of the LWF/WS Kigali Office. Together with
the ECC, the LWF has now come up with a comprehensive appeal proposal
for responding in Kisangani. It should be mentioned though that the
administrative costs in the proposal are high at almost 40% because
of the needed costs to open a new office. Despite this, we do hope
that the appeal will get good support to provide the much needed assistance
to the victims of the war in the district. The following are the proposed
activities;
- Food Production
- Health Care
- Nutrition Services
- Capacity Building of local church members
The estimated budget for the appeal is $509,840.
