Integral Members are working together to respond to effects of the recent conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The DRC is regularly cited as one of the world’s worst humanitarian situations, with widespread and on-going food insecurity. Aid agencies have reported that more than 5 million people have died in DRC since 1998 due to the conflict, disease or hunger …
Jan Eyre, Integral's DM Manager says, "Last week one of our Integral Members issued an 'alert' through the Integral Disaster Response mechanism, so triggering our joint DR process. Ten out of our 18 Members joined our first teleconference and currently seven Members are actively seeking to coordinate their work in the DRC, and/or support the efforts of other Integral Members, whilst other Integral Members are monitoring the situation."
Food for the Hungry, Tearfund and World Relief teams are working together in DRC to carry out an assessment and plan their emergency response. SEL France, Tear Netherlands, Tearfund Switzerland and Tearfund are all working with a local partner, Programme de Promotion des Soins de Sante Primaires (PPSSP), to provide urgent support to families that have fled, such as food and emergency sanitation. World Renew are supporting the work of Food for the Hungry to provide blankets and mosquito nets to displaced families. Around 130,000 people remain displaced in makeshift camps after fleeing Goma during clashes between a rebel group, the M23, and the Congolese Armed Forces. Early reports indicate that conditions for those who have fled are poor, with inadequate shelter, no access to clean water and some cholera outbreaks.
Jan says, "It is great that field teams from our operational Members are exploring how they can carry out mapping and joint needs assessments, and from there looking at further collaboration in programming. Also, the decision of Members to coordinate support for their mutual partner organisation, PPSSP, is a real sign that our Members are committed to increasing collaboration in relation to their disaster responses. We are seeing indications that the depth of Member collaboration is increasing with each new Integral Response. We are praying that God will use this Integral cooperation in DRC to help more people in need of assistance in this desperate situation."
Read updates from the field from Charles Franzen, World Relief (US) DRC Country Director, here.
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Since its launch in May 2012, an Integral Disaster Response has been initiated for communities displaced due to conflict in South Sudan as well as flooding in the Philippines.
Integral Alliance is a WEA affiliate and has served as a Global Partner to the WEA in the field of relief and development since 2006. Integral contributes to the WEA’s goal of fostering Christian unity around the world through working with its Members on a more integrated and collaborative strategy in disasters.
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