Democratic Republic of Congo

Manenji Mangundu, Program Director, Ebola Response

Hi, I’m Manenji, the Ebola Response Program Director for Democratic Republic of the Congo. I’m on the ground here in South Kivu, where we’re grappling with one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. Are you ready to test your skills?

The situation: Armed conflict has left millions of innocent people battling violence, economic collapse and a deadly outbreak of Ebola. We’re sending a team in now to help these families, but first, we need to make sure we have all the supplies necessary to respond to the needs on the ground.

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Challenge 1

Many families have fled their homes to escape the horrific violence but were forced to leave all of their belongings behind. When they arrive in a safe location, it’s crucial that they’re able to get the supplies they need to survive. What should we pack with us to help?

Challenge 2

We’re getting reports of more Ebola cases in communities, and we’re learning it is now the worst outbreak in DRC’s history. The outbreak is concentrated in the densely populated and conflict-affected provinces of North Kivu and Ituri where some displaced families don’t have access to sanitation facilities. Do you see anything that we can bring to help?

Challenge 3

A spike in armed conflict has led to deadly attacks on health clinics and facilities, leaving civilians unable to treat injuries and virtually defenseless against the spread of disease. What do we have that can help?

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Food

Our teams prioritize delivering food to communities in moments of emergency when people often don’t have enough – and sometimes nothing at all – to eat.

Tent

When disaster or crisis destroys people’s homes, we distribute durable tents that they can use as immediate shelter while their communities work to rebuild.

Water Filter

Supplying water filters ensures that people have access to clean water and helps stop the spread of diseases in the aftermath of disaster.

Emergency Cash Card

Providing prepaid cash cards during emergencies not only helps make sure people can purchase the things they need most for themselves and their families, but helping them buy locally supports the local economy in a way that bringing in supplies would not.

Solar Lantern

Solar lanterns not only provide essential light when the power goes out, but also include USB chargers that enable people to connect with emergency services as well as loved ones. And bonus, they’re cheaper, safer and longer-lasting than kerosene lamps or candles.

Food Vouchers

Crises have a grave impact on communities’ food security. We provide food vouchers that immediately alleviate hunger, ensure that families can get enough to eat for the duration of their community’s recovery effort, and help support the local economy.

Medical Supplies

Distributing lifesaving medicines and resources that keep communities healthy is an integral part of our disaster response efforts.

Hygiene Supplies

To prevent the spread of disease, we distribute hygiene kits -- including items like soap, shampoo, bug spray and laundry detergent -- to help keep displaced families clean and healthy during a crisis.

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This looks like a great set of initial supplies!

Thanks to your help, we’re ready to get on the ground and distribute these supplies to help relieve the intense suffering of innocent people grappling with the consequences of this conflict. Sadly, this crisis is not a drill and is unfolding as we speak.

While not everyone can be in the field to directly support those in need, you can make a donation to Mercy Corps today to help provide food, water, shelter and other resources to Congolese families and people in crisis around the world.

Will you give now to help build a better world?

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