DR Congo Crisis

In October 2008, over 250,000 people in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo fled their homes to escape fighting between the Congolese government and rebel forces.

By the summer of 2009, more than 800,000 people in North and South Kivu were living in temporary camps, too afraid to return home. In a region where levels of rape and sexual violence were already are amongst the worst in the world, women and young girls found themselves under an even greater risk of attack.

The threat of violence and rape was keeping people from harvesting their crops and many thousands faced possible starvation in one of Africa’s most fertile countries.

SCIAF joined forces with our partners in the Caritas network to get help to people living in the camps. People from across Scotland donated over £96,900 to SCIAF’s DR Congo Appeal. This money was used to send food and water, tents, blankets, first aid and hygiene kits for 150,000 people. It also helped to stock 32 local health centres with medical supplies and provide medical care and counselling for women and girls who had survived sexual violence.

In the long-term, SCIAF is working to help bring a lasting peace to the area. In June, we visited Kinshasa, the Congolese capital, to meet with UK government’s Department for International Development in the DRC. We asked for increased support for women and young girls who are being affected by rising levels of rape and sexual violence, and for women to be involved in the peace process.