The situation in the North Kivu area of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is rapidly deteriorating, with M23 rebel forces advancing in the areas around Goma and retaliation from the government armies in turn. Over one million people have already been displaced in the conflict and a further 75,000 children have been displaced in the last few weeks alone. Many are without clean water and are drinking water from the nearby lake. Conditions in Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps are horrific. Malnourished children and orphans from Sake have been evacuated due to the fighting, and are trying to regroup in the camps. As always, the women and children are the most vulnerable and the innocents suffer the most. In the video below, Comfort International Director, Callum Henderson, explains more about the situation. Our partners Comfort Congo continue to work in the most difficult and dangerous conditions. Please consider donating to help them respond to the colossal needs they are facing now.
We have had communication from our partners Comfort Congo, on the ground in Goma, and they have sent this report:
“The situation in Goma is uncertain. People have fled from Sake (where Comfort Congo have been supporting around 400 orphaned and malnourished children) about 27km and came to live between Sake and Mugunga, aiming to join others who are now in the IDP (Internally Displaced People) camps set up since the fighting between the M23 and the governmental army helped by the self-defense Wazalendu force.”
“For around two weeks the population from Sake is living in unsafe conditions. Some have been received in churches and schools where they spend the night and others are sleeping outside with no shelter; men, women and children all together.”
“This situation has affected the living conditions in Goma, as the roads for the lorries to bring emergency supplies are now blocked whether from Rutshuru or Masisi. Only Idjwi is supplying Goma through the Kivu lake to Kituku Market and this causing the the prices to skyrocket.”
“The malnourished children and orphans who live in Sake have fled and are spread and scattered here and there in the camps and houses near the camp, trying to find food, with the malnourished children at high risk of becoming sicker. Many other children were brought to Walugaba (school) where Unicef built 6 classrooms with desks. There are more than 120 children per classroom and that statistic is still increasing day after day, but even if these children had access to classes, they lack school materials to use for studying.”
“The Comfort Congo team went to visit these displaced people camping between Sake and Mugunga to monitor the situation. This was with great difficulty as no-one is being allowed to talk on their phones or take videos and there are a lot of gunshots and the sound of bombs being launched nearby, but they were able to get all the information.”
“In addition to all of the above, there are the COL (Children of Liberty – ex-child soldiers), who fled the war atrocities from Tongo, the SKR (Street Kids Rescue), CBC (Comfort Babies Congo), teachers, women and their children from Heshima and others who came from Kirotshe and are now living at the Village of Hope. For this reason Comfort Congo is launching an alarm cry to Comfort International for an emergency support in order to come in help to these people in a desperate situation.”
