Tearfund is a Christian relief and development agency that has been working through local partner organisations in the DRC since 1989. Tearfund is currently supporting 11 partners: 8 are in Eastern Congo and 3 are in Western Congo. Tearfund’s partner organisations are implementing invaluable programs in areas of medical community healthcare, HIV/AIDS care, prevention of Sexual and Gender based Violence (SGBV) and support to survivors of SGBV, water and sanitation, livelihoods support, literacy help, advocacy on human rights issues and conflict resolution. Here are several examples of Tearfund’s partners and the vital work they are doing:

PPSSP (Programme de Promotion des Soins de Santé Primaires) is providing water and sanitation facilities for displaced people and their host communities in North Kivu and Ituri. A community-based approach is deployed in the construction of public sanitation facilities including latrines, water sources and household water-storage units.

CRC (Centre Résolution des Conflits) promotes peace and reconciliation within communities that have suffered decades of civil armed conflicts and militia attacks. Activities include community-level peace meetings, cultural and sporting activities for peace between communities and addressing conflicts at family-level that result from rape or testing HIV positive.

Heal Africa is running a hospital in Goma specialized in treating women survivors of sexual violence and is carrying out a comprehensive response to Gender-Based and Sexual Violence and to HIV and AIDS in North Kivu and Maniema.

Tearfund is also working alongside partners through an operational programme in the East of the country. Tearfund’s Disaster Management Team (DMT) began operations in 2002 in Uvira, as part of its programme in Burundi. In response to extensive needs in the region, DMT’s work in DRC expanded to become a programme in its own right, with field operations currently in North Kivu, South Kivu and Maniema provinces.

Tearfund’s DMT is working with conflict-affected communities to meet the needs of the most vulnerable, including recently repatriated refugees and returnees, displaced people and host communities. DMT’s current projects include food security, agricultural extension work, water and sanitation provision to schools, health centres and communities and public health promotion, including cholera prevention in endemic areas. All of DMT’s work is designed to help develop capacities at the local level. Current projects are based in Fizi and Uvira territories in South Kivu, Kailo and Pangi territories in Maniema, and Rutshuru territory in North Kivu. The programme is currently assisting around 170,000 people, and currently employs around 150 national and 15 international staff.

In addition to responding to the emergency needs of communities and displaced people Tearfund’s DMT programme and partners are involved in the longer-term recovery and rehabilitation efforts in the DRC.