Since the beginning of the year, M23 fighters supported by Rwanda have swept the eastern DRC, taking key cities, notably Goma and Bukavu. Violence has moved more than a million people in the provinces of ITTURI, North Kivu and South Kivu.
Speaking of the village of Saké in the north of Kivu, Predict The resident representative, Damien Mama, described having met a woman whose house had been destroyed after fled the combatants who advance in January.
Cut of livelihoods
“You know, with five children, you can imagine what it represents,” said Mr. Mama. “She told me that [her family] have received food and a temporary shelter; But what she needs is to go back to her farm to continue cultivating, to continue her activities and also have her house rebuilt. »»
All these new moved by the rebellious M23 advance are added to the Five million people already live in travel camps in the east of the DRC.
Health workers have repeatedly warned that crowded and unsanitary conditions provide ideal conditions for the spread of diseases, including MPOX, cholera and measles.
Given the scale of needs, it is urgent that small businesses get the help they need to present themselves again “offering income -generating activities to women and young people who create jobs,” insisted the UNDP manager.
“The economy has suffered a lot,” he said. “” Banks have closed, companies have been destroyed and many now operate less than 30% of their capacityWhich is a blow for their businesses. »»
Support for women and girls
At the same time, the United Nations agency remains determined to help the many women and girls affected by alarming levels of sexual violence.
This echoes an alert published last month by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), that during the most intense phase of this year’s conflict, a child was raped every half hour.
Over the next five months, the UNDP intends to support the creation of 1,000 jobs and restore basic infrastructure, benefiting around 15,000 people.
To do this, the United Nations will need $ 25 million.
“Until now, we have obtained $ 14 million thanks to [South] Korea, Canada, the United Kingdom and Sweden; And our call will be to encourage other countries and donors to provide us [the] Gap of $ 11 million. »»
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
