Faith leaders on the frontline of the Ebola crisis

With numbers of suspected cases of Ebola surpassing 1,000 and growing fear, Tearfund has spoken to one of the church leaders we work alongside on the frontline of the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Reverend Pastor JarieKong’A Munguromo Penuel, from the Africa Inland Church in Bunia, eastern DRC, said:

'We are afraid these days because of the deaths caused by the Ebola epidemic. Before, we buried very few people, and now we bury many people every day.

'This situation is very serious.'

Tearfund knows from previous outbreaks that faith leaders can play a vital role in preventing the spread of disease because they are a trusted source of information and are uniquely placed to deliver advice to their congregations.

He added, 'Churches are using posters…and the general public are coming to us for advice. We use disinfectants and wear face coverings or masks.

'We tell them to keep their distance, to not crowd together, and we also tell them to keep washing their hands.'

Tearfund is working with local partners and faith leaders to share prevention and safety guidelines, distributing hygiene kits with soap for handwashing, building toilets and managing waste, to prevent the spread of the disease.

Poppy Anguandia, Tearfund’s Country Director for the DRC said:

'Community acceptance and mistrust are major issues, which are leading to incidents of violence. Engaging faith leaders is now a critical part of risk communication and tackling misinformation. It’s exactly why we are working with them. By partnering with over 500 faith leaders in different districts, thousands of people will hear these prevention messages that can help save their lives and the lives of their loved ones.'

To donate to Tearfund's Ebola Crisis Appeal, go to www.tearfund.org/ebolacrisis

ENDS

For further information or interview requests call Tearfund’s Media Team on +44 (0)7929 339 813 or email [email protected].

Notes to editors

During the 2018-2020 Ebola crisis, Tearfund worked with health centres to provide basic clean water facilities and to set up triage units, isolation units and installed latrines and incinerators in support of the Ebola response.

Working with faith leaders, Tearfund also ran a mass community awareness campaign, sharing information with local people about how to prevent Ebola from spreading. This involved producing Ebola prevention songs in local languages for broadcast on the radio and for use by choirs; talks and announcements in church services; and door-to-door awareness raising.

Faith leaders, equipped by Tearfund with knowledge about prevention, were able to give vital advice on washing hands, seeking medical help at the first sign of symptoms, and guidance on safe burials, to curb the spread of disease. This education helped reduce the discrimination and stigma towards Ebola survivors.

Tearfund has been working in DRC since 1986. Tearfund’s work includes:

• Water and Sanitation Hygiene – contributes to major water projects, providing clean water and rehabilitation of water sources, promoting good hygiene practices and building toilets
• Supplies communities with seeds, tools and agricultural training to help them rebuild their livelihoods
• Helps women who are survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence – providing psychosocial support and working with faith leaders and communities to tackle negative gender stereotypes to reduce sexual and gender based violence
• Promotes maternal and infant health leading to a reduction in infant mortality and the spread of HIV/AIDS

Tearfund is a Christian charity that partners with churches in more than 50 of the world’s poorest countries. We tackle poverty through sustainable development, responding to disasters and challenging injustice. We believe an end to extreme poverty is possible. Tearfund is also a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee. For more information about the work of Tearfund, please visit www.tearfund.org.