Twa weza shinda
Durable humanitarian project for Congolese impacted by the volcanic eruption of Nyiragongo
Following the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo, thousands were displaced in what is still a relatively unabated humanitarian disaster despite months passing and millions of dollars of aid being pledged. The urgency to take action only increases with the rainy season on the near horizon. However, it is not just aid for basic survival that the population wants. Before the eruption, most of them lived in abject poverty, and even if they are returned to their previous quality of life, it will still be deplorable. The displaced community has articulated to us they want upper mobility and they are afraid that the humanitarian community will overlook that their more long-term and less easy to suffice needs. We are partnering with the displaced community and Act for Congo to realize their desires.
Read more about our effort below.
On the 22nd of May 2021, Mount Nyiragongo awakened upon the people of Goma for the first time in 19 years. Dozens perished that night and the lava left thousands homeless. Months have passed and while some aid has been rendered, hundreds of people remain in unacceptable conditions. AGIR is stepping in to fill the void.
In the immediate aftermath of the eruption, members of AGIR set out to reunited separated children from their families. Following the eruption, total chaos ensued in the Goma. Hundreds of thousands of people tried to flee the city with most trying to take a narrow road leading to the town of Sake. The eruption struck without warning. Many parents were working and not with their kids when it hit. The ensuing traffic and impending lava did not leave time for parents to find their children and vice versa. AGIR helped to find lost children and bring them to Alpha-Ujuvi, AJVDC, and ECC-Church youth group where they were provided with food and shelter and ultimately reunited with parents. AGIR also provided psychological counseling to separated children and to adults that experienced the trauma and guilt of leaving behind old family members, who were to slow to escape, and losing their children.
Originally many displaced people were sent to the Nengapeta displacement camp at Mugunga where they inhabited the schoolhouses of Musho Primary School. Our team conducted a dozen site visits to Mungunga to learn the needs of the displaced people and the local population, as well as to distribute urgently needed aid.
In addition to the damage caused by the volcanic earthquakes, the students’ education at Musho Primary School also suffered from the hundreds of displaced people inhabiting their place of study. The occupation presented many distractions and hazards, including overflow and dereliction of the latrines which culminated in disease outbreaks at the site.
The government eventually declared the site in Kanyaruchinya as the official government-sanctioned site for displaced people. Many of the displaced at Mugunga were hesitant for various reasons to move to the government site. Our team worked with local leaders and leaders within the displaced population to engage their concerns and facilitate the transition.
Like the Mungunga displacement camp, the conditions at the Kanyaruchinya camp were abject. Many people slept in dilapidated buildings missing most of their walls. Sanitation, water, food, and a pathway out of the situation were all lacking despite international pledges of millions of dollars. Our team has conducted several site visits to understand their needs, especially the needs overlooked by the humanitarian sector.
With the unwavering support of our partner, Act for Congo, we are launching a project to assist the displaced Congolese and empower them to find upper mobility. The humanitarian effort has been slow address the basic living needs of the displaced population. Yet, we learned from our research that that is not the sole concern of the displaced people. They are worried that the approach of the humanitarian community might stabilize them out of catastrophe but back into abject poverty without means to escape it. Thus, AGIR is partnering with Act for Congo and the displaced community to build paths of upper mobility that not only address the immediate needs of the catastrophe but create durable impact.
AGIR-RDC’s project in Kanyaruchina will consist of psychological counseling, community mobilization, and social reintegration for disaster-stricken families in three sites (Mujoga, Buhene, Mugunga). A staple of this program is the organizing and maintenance of peace clubs for children, adolescents, and young adults. AGIR-RDC will be assisted by activists and artists from the Goma Slam Session Collective who will host events for constructive community dialogue and exercise therapeutic techniques in the peace clubs. In pursuit of enduring change, AGIR is working with all levels of the affected community to create community structures that will enable upward mobility. Through these structures AGIR will help train and educate as well as connect individuals with economic and entrepreneurial opportunities. This is being carried out by AGIR-RDC, our partners at UFEDOC, collaborating community leaders, dozens of volunteers, and of course the support and buy-in of the displaced communities.