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Our work in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Tearfund has been working in the Democratic Republic of Congo for over 30 years with a wide range of projects.

Birungi, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, overcame stigma to become the first woman in her community to set up her own tailoring business | Credit: Hannah Maule-ffinch/Tearfund

Overview

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has suffered from decades of civil war. Instability in the region has led to widespread poverty, accompanied by violence which has divided communities and displaced families.

Our work

Tearfund has been working in the DRC with local partner organisations since 1986, and our own operational team has been working there since 2001.

Our current projects include:

Food security – ensuring people have access to enough nutritious food all year round.
Disaster risk reduction activities to strengthen a community's capacity to cope with and reduce their long-term vulnerabilities to disasters.
Water and sanitation provision to schools, health centres, and communities.
Public health promotion.

A mother holds her child, who is suffering from malaria, at a medical examination provided by Tearfund’s local partner in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Credit: Hannah Maule-ffinch/Tearfund

Our impact

Tearfund has reached over 697,257 people in the DRC with one or more water and sanitation projects.
2,080 displaced individuals have been helped by the rehabilitation of water points and 1,200 have received emergency food assistance.
310 churches have engaged in church and community transformation schemes.

More about our projects in the DRC

Water and sanitation

Tearfund has been implementing its WASH programme in eastern DRC for a decade now. This includes emergency response work, and providing clean water and sanitation infrastructure to displaced people.

We also help communities gain sustainable access to safe water supplies, safe and appropriate sanitation, and to realise the benefits of good hygiene practice.

Tearfund is a global member of the SWIFT Consortium, which works to provide sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services to people in the DRC and Kenya. This work has already reached many hundreds of thousands of people in both countries.

Farming support

By supplying displaced and returned communities with seeds, tools and agricultural training, communities affected by conflict have been able to begin rebuilding their lives and growing sufficient food again.

Kizay Apio (55), wearing a pink top and blue skirt; Love Kansime (38) wearing a green dress; and Nyangona Mandrosi wearing a blue top and orange skirt, harvesting beans at the agriculture project run by Tearfund partner 'Mavuno', Komanda, Ituri, eastern DRC. 9th February 2021. Credit: Arlette Bashizi/Tearfund

Addressing sexual and gender-based violence

Tearfund also works with partner organisations and church networks to tackle Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).

We work towards reducing stigma for survivors, equipping communities to support those impacted by SGBV, promoting gender justice and providing positive models of masculinity.

Please pray for the DRC

Pray for political and community leaders, that they may have wisdom and understanding to lead their country into a more peaceful future.
Pray for an end to sexual and gender-based violence in DRC, for positive relationships and healing within communities.
Ask God for protection, health and security for Tearfund’s staff and partners. Pray for God to strengthen them and help them work even more effectively as they deal with a vast level of need.

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Our work in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Overview