Emergency Nutrition Water and Sanitation in the Democratic Republic of Congo - World Vision 2014

March 2014 – Conflict and insecurity in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which intensified in late 2012 and early 2013 has continued in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and expanded in Orientale Maniema and Katanga provinces. The ongoing violence has resulted in large-scale new displacement significant protection needs and the destruction of assets livelihoods and basic infrastructure. More than 2.8 million Congolese are currently displaced and 450 000 others are living as refugees in neighbouring countries. Overall an estimated 6.3 million people in the DRC require humanitarian assistance this year an increase of nearly 1 million from last year. With DFATD’s support World Vision Canada is providing emergency nutrition water and sanitation to those affected by conflict in Mitwaba territory Katanga Province. Activities include: (1) providing supplementary or therapeutic feeding and basic medical care to 4 000 children under 5 years of age and 1 550 pregnant or lactating women with moderate to severe acute malnutrition; (2) educating 56 000 vulnerable people on health and hygiene and providing them with soap and insecticide-treated nets; (3) establishing 16 new safe water points benefitting 56 000 people; (4) constructing 2 000 new household latrines; and (8) educating 56 000 vulnerable people on appropriate sanitation and water usage practices and providing them with purification tablets and water filters.

The expected immediate outcomes for this project include: (1) increased access to interventions aimed at preventing identifying and treating severe and moderate acute malnutrition among children and pregnant and lactating women; (2) increased access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities; and (3) increased access to hygiene supplies and awareness of good hygiene and sanitation practices. The expected intermediate outcome is reduced vulnerability of crisis-affected people especially women and children.