Report from BHW DR Congo Partnership Facilitator

Key Person: Paulin

This report was done following a video call with Paulin to discuss what is happening in the Congo and the various partnership programmes due to us being unable to visit as a consequence of the current Ebola outbreak. 

Ebola has hit the DRC again with many cases and deaths causing border closures and various health requirements for gatherings and churches. In Paulin's area of Bukavu there has only been three recorded cases of Ebola, and no new cases for two weeks. The epicentre of the outbreak has been around Bunia. BHW sent US$1,500 to help with the health sanitization requirements for the churches in the area.

Recent Events

Tuungane Project (DRC08)

Each year US$2,200 is sent in June and December to help provide capital for people to either buy essentials or empower their own businesses. Of these funds around $200 is used for bank fees, and $350 for training courses with the remaining $1,650 given out as grants. People are expected to pay $2 per month for 20 months, not as a loan repayment but to create some funds to help others. They also give another $0.25 cents per month to create a fund that will help with any of the group’s emergency costs.

In total 250 people have been helped via BHW since this programme started in 2020. Of these, 40 have been helped indirectly from the payments made by members. 192 people have retained their capital, some i.e., 33 maybe only half. 58 have totally lost it with 37 of these identified as very vulnerable.

There were also two one-off amounts given to help with people displaced by flooding; $6,400 for 64 women and $2,700 to help 9 displaced men. Paulin comments below:

This team of 64 ladies and 9 men, in Kalehe (Nyamukubi, Bushushu, Munanira districts) were affected with flood and water destruction. Due to the war in their zone, it has been difficult for us to collect information from them. 

Our local representative in the area, told us that he has kept in his database the update of only 41 who are around but needs to organize a good survey and give us an updated report about this team. We announce the death of one of the 9 men, but 5 others are keeping well and their businesses are healthy. Three of them lost all their businesses during the war. 

Their area is not safe for me and my team due to the militias (Wazalendo) in the road. For kind circumstance, we will wait until area will be safe to go there. 

On the call we discussed if it is possible to aim for these funds to be seen as a loan programme, so that at some stage the fund will be sufficient to be self-funding. Paulin states that there are around 5,000 members in the community of Tuungane who are continuing to struggle with war and security, meaning it is very difficult to ensure capital is secure. He will try and see if people would be willing to repay capital over one year, but this will be a surprise to them. 

We have asked for some stories from the people who have received these grants to gauge the impact.

Water (DRC08b)

The first tank of 10,000 litres in Cifunzi was established in February, with 7 km of piping installed. They are now wanting to complete the second phase of this programme to install another tank. A source of clean water is essential for dealing with Ebola and Typhoid.

Goat Loan Programme (DRC10)

The goat programme was started to help the vulnerable orphans in the community, with a goat given to each of the families. So far 49 goats have been given out from 2023 to 2025, and Paulin says that most families now have 3 to 4 goats. They can use the goats to cover expenses by selling them for meat when required.

Foundations for Farming

From Paulin's last report in May 2026 there is some information of the second season being December 2025 into 2026. 

After training, around 100 people were given seeds of onions, tomatoes and cabbages in the Kalonge and Kabare areas. These were locally sourced seeds, and they found germination was a bit random. Follow up was very difficult due to the war and rebel activities in the area. We have asked Paulin to provide us with some more information with interviewing some families to assess the impact of this programme. 

They have three other villages where they want to start his programme. John Pierre, who also went to Zimbabwe to be trained in Foundations for Farming, is still involved and Paulin says that they have 20 people who are considered to be trainers in the community now as well.

It is expected that we will get another request for purchasing seeds.

Comments

I think this is a really difficult area with displacement, rebel activity, and people being displaced. 

We do need to get more information of the impact of these programmes with interviews etc but that is difficult if they cannot move around much due to rebel activity.