Build a shelter for the war survivors in DRCongo

Report on the situation of IDPs victims of Kalehe Flooding in South Kivu, the Democratic Republic of Congo

While our call for actions in order to raise the necessary funds we wish which will focus on poverty reduction among the survivors, it is important to note for the last almost five we have not yet received a donation towards these people, who continue to sink into destitution and misery after losing everything.

We have collective failed to give these people opportunities to live a better life through economic support, as consequence these people are still suffering in transit camps, outside of the Camera and no one knows what happens to them anymore.

I'm so proud as today Tuesday November 12th, 2024 the Governor of South Kivu launched the rehabilitation of the road Bukavu-Goma which we made one among our prorities and joined others in lobbying and making pressure to authorities to work on this, with this road in better form it will encrease comercial activities to the survivors of Kalehe in their camps, said Kulihoshi Musikami Pecos, the Coordinator of COJESKI.

However we remain engaged towards them and towards other people in risky situation in the whole Kalehe through various forms of advocacy which aims at improving the situation which eventually will create and favor economic activities and other opportunities. As you may know that it is not easy to offer services when you do not have money. In this way we have been highly involved in advocacy about acquiring new land for these people and the efforts are still going, we are advocating for the construction of the main road from Bukavu to Goma which will boost economic activities, and for more investment in which we are advocating the inclusion of Kahele as part of the priorities.

These may be perceived as indirect services which may not direct impact on the lives of people, but still the very victims will also benefit in one way or the other directly. We are so happy that some initiatives are being given attention including the issue of electricity which will help Kahele to prepare all agriculture products before they are sold and that will reduce poverty among people.

And lastly we are working on capacity building of people among them those who were victims in order to become actors of change and become advocate for the others through their involvement in various civil society activities where they can make their voices from, and in this way influence leaders at various levels, and also empower them to become part of the leadership in the area.

So we shall continue and we do not have intention to abandon the survivors of Kalehe because we believe they deserve a better life, we believe they are victims of social injustice and they need to wake up in order to challenge these injustices.

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We still believe that the best way to solve once for ever the challenges faced by the survivors of the flooding in Kalehe is through economic empowerment, actually the economic approach is one among the best way to solve all humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Our efforts to fundraise for this conviction has not yet received the attention we want. For the last three months we did not not receive any funding towards this project.

Other actors believe that the Government should relocate the people to a safer place, but also this has not yet progressed because most of the lands in Kalehe are already occupied by rich and powerful people in the Government and do not want to release their lands to the survivors, some have requested a lot of money to the Government which it has not opted to give. As we argue about what to do people are suffering and actually that place where they are in the camp is also not safe, the rainy season is soon coming and we are not sure if they will survive.

Advocacy

We have also joined those whp are pushing for the Government to relocate these people but we have not yet succeeded because in this process some among the rich people should give away their lands. In the same way we have joined the New Dynamic of the Civil Society to advicate to the accessibility of the road Bukavu -Goma via Kalehe, in case this road it reopened then it will increase business opportunities to people and in the process the survivors will also benefit.

During this three months we also helped three people from Kahele to settle here in Goma where are renting houses but they need integration through economic activities.

Conclusion

The only solution we believe will work is to empower the people economically, this will help each person to earn money and then determine where he or she should live in the entire Democratic Republic of Congo, that is why we still appeal to your generosity to continue supporting our fundraising campaign. There is a clear connection between poverty and life in Camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo, most of those living in camps are too poor. So let us fix poverty first.

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