Relief & Rehabilitation in North Kivu & Oriental Province

Balance Requested from ACT Alliance:
US$ 977,199

This appeal is a compilation of needs emanating from assessments, evaluations, and discussions carried out in the program areas covered by the Lutheran World Federation/DRC and with partners to determine the impact of AFDC-42 and what needs remained. Much progress has been made in the implementation of ACT appeal AFDC-42 especially with assistance to IDPs and support to the host communities in rebuilding their lives particularly through the rehabilitation of primary schools. It was however, felt that there was still much to be done in the rehabilitation of social structures including schools and clinics and also in assisting the IDP population.

The position of IDPs continues to pose a challenge to the humanitarian community. Although much assistance was provided to IDPs in the region of Beni under AFDC-42, continued outbreaks of insecurity particularly in the Kivu region during 2004 has affected many civilians who were forced to flee from their home areas. The most recent event was in December when tension rose in the North Kivu following a threat by Rwanda to return its troops to the DRC to seek out Interhamwe militia. This then resulted in a rising tension between Congolese troops based in Goma and newly arrived troops sent by the Government in Kinshasa to secure its border in Rwanda. Fighting resulting from this situation broke out in the Lubero region of North Kivu in December and created the displacement of thousands of people from neighbouring villages. Families were forced to flee to forest areas after looting by soldiers, and reports of large scale rape and human rights abuses were numerous.

The fighting finally ceased due to the intervention of UN troops under MONUC who imposed a buffer zone between the two forces.

Yet the situation of the villagers still remains critical - many of them are still afraid to return to their homes choosing to remain in the forests where access to them is difficult, while those who return find their homes destroyed and all their possessions looted. In this appeal, the initial intervention proposed for Lubero will be co-ordinated from the field office in Beni. Other areas of intervention will include Goma and Beni in North Kivu Province and the districts of Kisangani/Tshopo and Ituri in Oriental Province.

Name of ACT member/partner: The Lutheran World Federation/DRC

Project Completion Date: 31 March 2006

Summary of Appeal Targets, Pledges/Contributions Received and Balance Requested US$

Total Appeal Target(s): 1,196,890
Less: Pledges/Contr. Recd.: *219,691
Balance Requested from ACT Alliance: 977,199

*EUR170,000 from FinchurchAid ** An application for approximately USD 500,000 has been submitted to the German Government (BMZ) through Diakonisches Werk. Many of the proposed activities presented in this appeal are included in this application, however funding is not yet assured, and failure to secure these funds would mean some activities would be excluded, and others prioritised.  

White Rakuba
Director, ACT Co-ordinating Office