DRC - Emergency Assistance - Action against Hunger 2017

March 2017 - The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is facing one of the world's gravest and forgotten humanitarian crises with approximately 7.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Exacerbating factors include extremely low levels of basic services increasing refugee populations and the violence perpetrated by approximately 60 different armed groups across the country. At least 1.9 million people in the DRC are internally displaced and a further 475 000 Congolese are living as refugees in neighbouring countries. Approximately 5 million people are food insecure and acute malnutrition is estimated at 8%. Sexual violence and other abuses related to the violence plaguing vast numbers of civilians remains a significant challenge particularly in the eastern provinces making protection a continuing priority. With GAC’s support Action Against Hunger is providing assistance to address the urgent needs of up to 60 900 conflict-affected people in the province of North Kivu. This project focuses on increasing access to safe water and sanitation facilities providing displaced people with basic household items and preventing and treating cases of severe acute malnutrition. Project activities include: (1) constructing or rehabilitating up to 24 water points; (2) constructing up to 345 latrines and providing hygiene supplies to up to 2 000 households; (3) distributing non-food items and emergency shelter supplies to up to 2 000 households; and (4) awareness-raising and training for up to 6 720 parents on preventing identifying and treating malnutrition.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased access to safe drinking water; (2) increased access to sanitation facilities and hygiene supplies; (3) increased access to emergency shelter and basic household items; and (4) increased access to interventions aimed at preventing identifying and treating severe and moderate acute malnutrition. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or acute food insecurity.