DanChurchAid
Congo (DRC)
From life saving support to self help in DR Congo
Entire villages in Katanga province picked up and fled into hiding in the bush while rebel groups from Rwanda ravaged their land, destroying their mud huts, burning their school buildings, eating life stock and attacking young girls. The legacy of this flight for survival is evident. This village, like so many others I see, is nothing more than a clutter of ragged, half-destroyed mud huts. There are so few possessions visible; a plastic cup here, a tin bowl there, two tattered papaya fruit for sale, a cluster of brown bananas, that I am taken aback.
Many speak of the enormous wealth of Congo with its diamonds, gold and oil. But the average villager in Congo sees nothing of this wealth. No one in Kalombo village can remember when a government employee has come to their village to talk about education, health, agriculture, taxes, anything. And there have been no other NGOs in the area who have offered to help.
DanChurchAid in consultation with ECC Meru has helped
Deciding who to help and making a list of criteria was challenging but necessary. Vulnerable returnees were prioritised. That meant families who had returned after being internally displaced and who had old, handicapped, sick persons and small undernourished children came first on the list. As many villages contained 100% vulnerable returnees, then whole villages received support. First with basic materials of 25 metres of manioc cuttings, 5 kg peanuts, 5 kg corn and vegetable seeds: onions, tomatoes and eggplant. Demonstration fields were marked off, weeded, and planted. The new planting technique of placing seeds more.
And then immediately after DanChurchAid field staff distributed protection packets provided by World Food Program (WFP): oil, salt, pulses and cornmeal. The protection package ensures that families have something to eat and also something to plant. The last part of the support program will be distributed in July and August 2008-- 1 bucket and 2 blankets per family. And finally 22 families in the village will receive a goat to be kept in a communal pen where a zero grazing technique will be enforced.
Accountability!
Lea Kilozgozi looks at me with intense brown eyes where the full smile is just a second away. She directly states her own opinion in Swahili. “Yes, I have learned enough to plant like this next time I prepare my field with peanuts.” She mimics the action of planting seeds one after another with quick staccato movements of her hands. one seed after another. I can easily imagine the closely planted field of peanut plants 1 meter by 1 meter growing under the Congolese sun. Betraf, the project assistant is pleased.
His work with the Kalombo village association has paid off. The group of 25 members has enthusiastically followed the cycle of the demonstration plot from plowing, to planting, weeding and harvesting. Many are convinced that the more effective planting system gave a greater yield—30% increase. Others have already dried and stored the “good” seeds for the next season. The impact may seem miniscule, even irrelevant. Others have commented that the cost of supporting this entire project has been excessive: USD 125 per family with a total impact on 4000 families. In the big scheme of complicated Congo, DCA staff with support from ECC MERU and contributions from the Danish population, DANIDA, WFP and UNDP pooled funds have done a commendable job.
By Lisa Henry, Relief Director, DanChurchAid, lih@dca.dk
Africa
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