DR Congo conflict
What's happening in DR Congo?
Photo: Kate Holt/HelpAge International
The current conflict between the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and the Rwandan armed opposition group, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), is having a massive impact on the population.
Armed groups continue to carry out attacks on civilians, threatening their security and livelihoods.
At least 115,000 newly displaced people have fled their homes since January 2010 and overall approximately 1.3 million are displaced. The situation remains dangerous.
What is HelpAge doing?
HelpAge has responded to the conflict and displacement of approximately 250,000 people in North Kivu in 2008. So far, we have directly supported 12,400 households and indirectly helped 30,300.
We are currently:
- providing emotional support and work opportunities through "age friendly spaces" (places where older people feel comfortable and secure)
- offering inter-generational activities, including peace-building and conflict resolution for up to 2,000 older people
- working with medical organisations including Merlin and the Ministry of Health so they can provide better care for older people.
- working with rights organisation, Groupe d'Action pour le Droit, to train older people to make briquettes from office waste and sawdust. These are then sold as a subsitute for firewood and charcoal. This provides an income, protects the environment and reduces the risks to women from rape and attack when collecting fuel outside camps.
Our impact so far
So far, we've managed to:
- get older people's needs included in the 2010 Humanitarian Action Plan, which is a planning tool for the UN, NGOs and governments to work together to plan humanitarian responses
- build five age-friendly social centres
- provide jobs and materials to tailors
- distribute specific medicines to older people directly in collaboration with Merlin
What next?
Future plans for our work with older people in DR Congo include:
- more intergenerational activities to bring older people and children together
- working in communities to raise awareness of older people's rights
- helping older people understand their rights and those of children in their care.
