World Vision UK is calling on the presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda to act now and begins its relief efforts for the thousands of displaced families and take action to protect civilians and address the root causes of the crisis.
World Vision has just re-entered the Republic to begin assessing the relief needs of thousands of people displaced by fighting and the distribution of blankets, shelter materials, children’s clothing and soap. Plans to reach as many as 25,000 families as soon as security conditions allow are well under way, with health and sanitation also on the agenda.
World Vision worker, Michelle Rice, said –
‘If the security situation remains stable, we expect to expand distributions this week. The current ceasefire must be held by all sides if we are to respond to the humanitarian crisis here. Without some semblance of stability, relief efforts are extremely difficult.’
With thousands of people moving between various camps and their homes it is proving difficult for aid workers to access numbers, especially as many were already living in temporary shelters before the latest outbreak of fighting.
World Vision is urging UN peacekeepers in Congo to prioritize the protection of women and children who make up more than half of the 1.2 million displaced people. World Vision is also urging the international community to recommit financing the humanitarian response in Congo whilst strengthening the weakened aid infrastructure.
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