DRC Crisis: Blog 5, 30th November 2008

We have just got back from 4 days in Beni, North Kivu. It was a very special time for us as we were in Beni in 2002 when there was a crisis in the Ituri region and we helped establish our local partner PPSSP. It was fantastic to arrive at the airport after a short hour long flight to be greeted by old friends again. We were also greeted by Albert Baliesema who heads up the Health Department of Province of the Anglican Church (PEAC) in DRC, and with whom I have been implementing an HIV Impact Mitigation pilot project. We were overwhelmed with their kindness and generosity throughout our stay. We visited PPSSP’s offices and were so encouraged to see how they have grown as an organisation since 2002 and are now the foremost local NGO in Beni. We were so proud that Tearfund has been able to partner with such a competent and committed group of Christians and to see all that they had achieved.


On Friday we travelled to the south of Beni to a town called Lubero, together with an assessment team from PPSSP and PEAC. The trip was breathtakingly beautiful, but also backbreaking as the roads were some of the worst we had ever experienced. The population of Lubero has doubled with displaced families from fighting to the south. We visited a Catholic Church in Lubero that was hosting 20 families, all of whom were sleeping on a cold mud floor in an old school building without blankets or mattresses. The church congregation was doing all they could in supplying food and other essentials, but they themselves were hosting many other families in their homes. The local health centre had been so overwhelmed that they no longer had any drugs to provide the displaced who came for treatment. They were also having to treat many survivors of sexual violence, including a 3-year old girl. The partners are hoping to provide some support to the displaced there this week with money provided by Tearfund. We were also introduced to four newly born babies at the church site who were born on the road whilst the displaced were fleeing the fighting. It was encouraging that in the midst of all the suffering there was new life to be celebrated.