Program Details: 
Saving Lives, Restoring Livelihoods

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is one of the largest countries in Africa, encompassing an area the size of the United States east of the Mississippi River. The DRC is considered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, ranking a dismal 168 out of 177 nations on the 2007-2008 U.N. Human Development Index.

An already weak economy collapsed under the weight of the 1998-2003 war, pushing the vast majority of the country’s 60 million people to new depths of poverty. Per capita income is less than a dollar a day. Life expectancy is 46 years. Maternal mortality has increased from 870 to 990 per 100,000 live births. Some 38 percent of children under age 5 suffer chronic malnutrition, and this age group also suffers one of the highest mortality rates in the world: 205 out of every 1,000 children do not reach their fifth birthday.

Bringing Innovation and Fresh Hope to a Complicated Humanitarian Crisis
The DRC is among the most complex emergencies in the world; there is no easy solution, no shortcut to results. Mercy Corps’ strategy for eastern Congo is to provide immediate emergency relief while initiating development activities designed to reduce the risk of future conflict, lessen the impact of the current crisis and set the stage for recovery and development. By helping communities take the lead in their own recovery, we can make progress in the DRC. Together, we can fill gaps in services through efficient and innovative approaches that until now have gone unexplored or under-exploited.

North Kivu: A Struggle for Basic Needs
Nowhere are the DRC’s challenges more evident than in North Kivu, a province of 6 million people. Since August 2008, more than 250,000 people have fled insecurity in Masisi and Rutshuru Territories to seek refuge in internally displaced person (IDP) sites and with host families in the Goma area. This has strained the already limited resources of households in this region.

Building Environmental Awareness and Opportunity Among the Displaced
With support from the U.N. High Commissioner, Mercy Corps is implementing a program that protects both the people and the environment, aimed at helping internally displaced persons in North Kivu. The program is needed because the majority of the displaced population is located on the margins of Virunga National Park, one of the most precious environmental sites in Africa.

There, the large IDP population is causing unprecedented demand for water, forest products and other natural resources. Mercy Corps is working to educate communities about environmental awareness by promoting sustainable agricultural practices and the planting of trees for fuel. In addition, we are training women to build fuel-efficient stoves and delivering firewood to families so that women and girls don’t have to gather firewood in areas where the possibility of sexual violence is a regular threat.

Through our programs, we have reduced the need for women to search for firewood in outlying areas and have cut the amount of firewood needed by two-thirds, thanks to the efficient stove design. What’s more, women have gained valuable skills through their involvement in constructing the stoves.

A Persistent Health Risk in North Kivu
The mass displacement in North Kivu increases health risks to the IDP population, who are particularly vulnerable to communicable diseases such as cholera, diarrhea and respiratory infections. The situation is compounded by abject poverty, ethnic-related tensions and years of under-spending on infrastructure and the health system.

Mercy Corps is providing emergency water, sanitation and hygiene services to thousands of displaced persons and host communities. We are rehabilitating water sources to create a reliable supply of potable water. In areas without regular water supplies, Mercy Corps is trucking thousands of liters of water each day to vulnerable families. In addition, we are working with local community health advocates to promote good hygiene practices, and we are constructing latrines and shower facilities to ensure these practices are put into use.

Our programs focus on ways to ensure sustainable supplies of water and consistent improvements in hygiene practices. With support from USAID’s Office of Food for Peace, Mercy Corps is implementing a three-year program to improve water, sanitation and hygiene practices, with the goal of reducing waterborne diseases for children under the age of 5. At Mercy Corps, we believe that with creativity and persistence we can overcome even the toughest development challenges. Despite the truly desperate state in DRC today, we are dedicated to helping the people move toward a future that contains the hope and opportunity all people desire.