The Issue
The crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is rapidly worsening, marked by the escalation of armed conflict and the expansion of the M23 group, now based in Goma and Bukavu, following violent clashes with the Congolese army. This has caused massive displacement, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee, in a country where over 21 million people were already in need of aid. In North Kivu, the situation around Goma where 700,000 were already displaced remains volatile.
M23’s advances create a security vacuum, with camps being destroyed and families forced to move again or forced to return to their previous area. Goma airport is closed, road access cut, and lake transport restricted. Needs for shelter and household items remain critical in the affected areas. Families are still living in makeshift shelters or collective centers, while homes that were partially destroyed during displacement require urgent repairs.
The Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) situation is alarming, with limited access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, heightening epidemic risks such as cholera and MPOX are rising. Returns often occur in precarious conditions without basic services, highlighting the urgency of an integrated response and reinforcement of socio-community infrastructure to stabilize households and reduce further displacement.
The Project
The project will provide appropriate shelter solutions for families living in precarious conditions. Families will also be provided with essential household items to improve their daily lives and restore a minimum of dignity to their homes.
Moreover, the project includes training carpenters to strengthen the local workforce and ensure the availability of technical skills within communities. These activities will meet the needs of 52,500 vulnerable displaced or returned people.
All these activities will be carried out with the direct involvement of beneficiary communities to ensure effective and lasting solutions. Another component of the project is prevention and response to gender-based violence (GBV), in which DCA carried out activities in North and South Kivu, reaching 97,905 people (including 23,756 internally displaced persons).
In partnership with local community-based organizations in several health zones (Pinga, Kibirizi, Kayna and Fizi), DCA organized awareness-raising, community mobilization and training campaigns for leaders and protection structures. 200 community agents (COI) have been trained to relay prevention messages and direct them to available services.
In the GBV response component, 836 survivors received medical, psychosocial and holistic support, through case management and a structured referral circuit. Finally, 500 dignity kits were distributed to survivors and women at risk.
The Change
In early 2025, DCA adapted its protection strategy in response to growing insecurity and an imposed suspension of work orders, which temporarily halted key activities such as protection monitoring, dignity kit distribution, and community training. To ensure continuity of essential services, DCA shifted its focus to case management and psychosocial and medical support (MHPSS) through existing structures.
Additional funding from ECHO (in Mweso) and DANIDA (in Pinga and Kayna) enabled DCA to maintain its presence and support the most vulnerable people, allowing normal activities to resume. During this period, major adjustment was made to ensure continuity of essential services and lasting change: in Fizi (South Kivu) an emergency approach was taken as it became necessary due to insecurity, the approach focussed on safe and confidential access to services. In Kibirizi (North Kivu), a new protection/GBV response was launched to address massive, forced returns to Rutshuru territory. Interventions in Fizi and Kibirizi will be strengthened in the second project phase.
The Results
Since August 2024 DCA has contributed to improve living conditions of displaces and returned population in conflict-affected areas in North Kivu through various activities. In the health zones of Nyiragongo, Mweso, and Kirotshe, DCA distributed 5,468 kits of essential household items (NFI) to the most vulnerable households, providing relief to 32,729 people. Each distribution is paired with awareness-raising sessions on how to maintain and use the items correctly, helping ensure they have a lasting benefit.
At the same time, DCA began a shelter needs assessment to identify vulnerable families whose homes need repairs or rebuilding. This helps to plan targeted support that fits local needs and improves people’s safety and dignity.
About the project
- Full title: Integrated emergency assistance to improve living conditions of extreme hardship cases amongst the conflict-affected people in hard-to-reach areas of the Eastern D.R Congo
- Timeline: August 2024 to March 2026
- Amount: 6,750,000$
- DCA Theme: Build, Save, Engage
- Expected number of people reached: 136,062 individuals (52,500 individuals for shelter)
- Donor(s): US Department of State
