© Disasters Emergency Committee
The Disasters Emergency Committee brings together the leading UK aid agencies to
raise money at times of humanitarian crisis in poorer countries. By working together
we can raise more money to save lives and rebuild shattered communities.
Background to the Appeal
The bloody 14-year civil and regional war in the Democratic Republic of Congo has by many estimates contributed to the preventable deaths of millions of people, as well as displacing countless more. Many civilians have been killed by combatants but most causalities of this war have succumbed to malnutrition and disease.
The DEC ran its first appeal for Congo in 2002 after the eruption of a volcano on the outskirts of the eastern city of Goma. A second appeal was launched in November 2008 following an increase in the fighting, also in the east of the country, which raised the total number of people displaced to 1.5 million.
While some displaced people stayed in formal camps, many others lived with host families, or clustered together in informal settlements. Already very vulnerable due to years of conflict and poverty, they urgently needed shelter, food, clean water, clothes and healthcare. Other services needed by the displaced included care for the many victims of rape, education for children, protection from further violence and help rebuilding livelihoods. Continued fighting means large numbers of people in eastern Congo still face insecurity, displacement and death through diseases that could be prevented if the situation allowed more people to receive basic healthcare.
The DEC launched its appeal for Congo on 20 November 2008 and raised £10.5m - £7m directly and £3.5m through Member Agencies.
DEC / YouTube Appeal Broadcast
Allocation of funds to Member Agencies
Who is benefitting from this response?
Over the first nine months of the response Member Agencies used 80% of the funds raised and reached over 220,000 households. Those helped included people in both organised and spontaneous camps, as well as those staying with host families. Where security improved people went back to their villages but often found homes looted and burnt. Poor and marginalised groups like the pygmies remained particularly vulnerable. Returning families and neglected groups have been assisted with packages of household items, seeds and tools. Over 1400 separated children were reunited with their families between December 2008 and June 2009.
Challenges faced by Member Agencies
Insecurity caused by continued conflict was the major challenge for Member Agencies with some of the most vulnerable people and communities being repeatedly displaced. The ongoing fighting meant that more families were forced from their homes even as others were returning. Agencies therefore needed to be flexible in their work in order to meet continually changing demands.
Security concerns affected aid workers as well as the civilian population. As a result, some assessments had to be conducted very rapidly, one programme was temporarily suspended in order to safeguard staff and another agency had to relocate all their work to safer areas.
The absence of banking institutions in rural areas meant staff sometimes had to carry significant amounts of cash which increased the risks to which they were exposed. Special precautions needed to be taken to ensure the safety of staff as they travelled to some project sites.
Many DEC members routinely work through local partners, organisations and Government bodies such as the health service. In the case of the DRC many of these groups are relatively weak. In order to ensure that humanitarian standards are maintained, training was provided but programmes still needed to be closely monitored. Special attention was required to ensure projects met women’s needs.
