Empowering conflict-affected people in DR Congo

This report shares a review of our activities of the disaster resilience improvement project in South Kivu province, the DR Congo.

In the Uvira region of South Kivu Province and the village of Luvungi, where we are currently working, in addition to conflicts, floods have been occurring frequently in recent years, resulting in enormous losses of lives and homes.

Over the past few years, we have carried out a wide range of activities, including installing weather measurement equipment, establishing a crisis management system using this equipment, constructing bridges in destroyed communities, and building an elementary school.

The flooding that occurred in April 2000 was devastating, affecting more than 70,000 people, across the region The following year, after the construction of 1,500 meters of waterways maintained by Terra Renaissance, flood damage in the area was reduced. However , several floods occurred thereafter,  resulting in houses being washed away and people dying in areas where the waterways had not been constructed. Therefore, last year, we constructed another 1,400 meters of waterways.

The photos below show the current condition of waterways. For these tasks, we employ local vulnerable residents to take on the responsibility of maintaining the waterways without the use of large machinery. While the employment provided is temporary, one of the project's aims is to have the vulnerable local residents save a portion of their wages, and then use the funds to rebuild their lives through small retail businesses and other means.

Despite the ongoing conflict in the DR Congo, medicine and food are not entirely absent in the region. However, people do not have enough money to purchase them. Consequently, people continue to face the threat of death from malaria without adequate treatment or access to the minimum amount of food they need. This situation also contributes to the recruitment of young people into criminal groups.

However, this temporary employment alone will not be enough to bring them to the point of self-reliance. Therefore, our ongoing livelihood improvement projects, including vocational training, remain essential for achieving sustainable development in the medium to long term.

We remain committed to supporting the people of this region in their pursuit of security and self-reliance.We appreciate your continued support.

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