Report on Assistance Provided to ACLUP Members of Kalehe Following Flooding 5th May 2023

On Sunday, 14th May 2023, the ACLUP team organized a compassionate visit to its members in Kalehe who were victims of the floods and heavy rains that washed away, destroyed and killed people in Kalehe. With the support of Bright Hope World, ACLUP was able to gather bags of rice, bags of corn flour, cans of oil, sheets of iron, and money for this population. Leaving Bukavu around 4 am, the team reached Kalehe at 9 am, after 5 hours in the vehicle due to the very poor state of the road. We arrived in Kalehe, Bushushu where we assisted 23 families.

In Kalehe, we found a disorder organized by the beneficiaries, who because of hunger, they did not tolerate seeing others being served and they remain without having anything. This is how, to avoid disorder, we were able to relocate the distribution to Ihusi.

Recent Events

Activities

Since our organization is based on biblical principles, we started with a prayer by Reverend Pastor Matena, and then Mr Paulin shared the biblical word. We used the word found in Ecclesiastes 3:1-10. From this word, the speaker said that there is time for everything. He sympathized with the families affected by the tragedy, while showing them that everything that happened was part of the trials of life. Today, life forces us to cry but always hold on with faith. God is always able to change things. We can cry today and laugh tomorrow.

This word edified the recipients and one of them accepted Jesus as his Saviour. He will be baptized soon.

The distribution started after dispatching all the donations in front of everyone. The donation consisted of:
- 69 mattresses (3 for each family);
- 315 iron sheets (15 sheets per family);
- 23 bags of cassava flour;
- 23 bags of rice;
- 23 cans of cooking oil.

Note that among the beneficiaries there is a Reverend Pastor, who gave us a testimony of how his house was destroyed leaving behind a desolation in his family. Testimonies and moments of thanksgiving followed the divine word. We had a good time praying for the victims, then they too prayed for us and for Bright Hope World. As we had well announced our visit, the local authorities attended this distribution and were so pleased with the generosity that characterized the donors of these donations to the population of Kalehe. With our list on which we already had all the names in advance, we proceeded to call everyone by name and give them the donations. Each family delegated a person who received the gift. Each one has received from our hand a help divided into two: Food for those who had not had problems with the destruction of their homes; and food, mattresses and iron sheets for those whose houses were destroyed.

As announced, the distributions came through the need expressed by our beneficiaries in the field. It should be noted that many expressed the need for iron sheet since the houses were demolished and dragged into Lake Kivu by the muddy water which ravaged everything in its path. Thus, those whose houses were destroyed, some had more than two mattresses depending on the size of the family. The food was distributed to these 23 ACLUP member families. We mention that on the ground, we had had requests in the community since many families remained without shelter, and without assistance, since the aid does not manage to reach the affected people. 

Beneficiaries

Some of our beneficiaries lived from petty trade in the two centres of Kalehe (Bushushu and Nyamukubi). On the rainy day, these ACLUP members lost everything (business, home and livestock). Thus, a number valued at 17 expressed the need to be strengthened through trade as their families depend on small businesses. They requested to integrate a loan program as they raise by themselves their economy.

Current Situation

After the distribution activity, the ACLUP team went to the place of tragedy and the team was shocked by the extent of the damage.

- Some bodies of the victims are still in the rubble.

- The site gives off a nauseous odour and flies are piled up everywhere following the bodies which are in the rubble and which the Congolese government has never been able to extract from under the rubble.

- Water sources that were in the middle have been destroyed and the population suffers enormously to obtain water to drink. There is a need to build springs to supply this population with water.

- Destroyed houses cannot be rebuilt on the site, since the mud is up to 5 to 7 meters deep; people are buried, and large rocks from the mountains are piled up on the site.

- Humanitarian aid is almost non-existent and the absence of the government is noticeable because the whole city has been wiped out, but no effort is made to clear and find bodies. Until today there are more than 3,900 people who have not been found.

- The Red Cross, who we met at the place, told us that they bury between 8 to 13 decomposing bodies every day.

- At this site, people testify that over 200 people were gathered here, all were covered by big stones and houses. A heavy odour is coming from this debris.

Comments

The disaster that occurred in Kalehe left families homeless and bereaved others. ACLUP, with the means made available to it by Bright Hope World, was able to offer these different victims a smile. Some had 15 meals per family and that for 21 families; food (bag of maize flour and bag of rice, and a 5-litre container of oil) and an envelope of 5 dollars for these families to buy containers of water at the local level since water has become a rare commodity in the community. A 20-litre container of water costs US$1.

ACLUP is very grateful to the Bright Hope World team who made it possible for us to assist these people. The need remains enormous, especially the granting of capital to 17 members who have lost their business. The supply of drinking water to this population would be a saving action.

For ACLUP DRC
Paulin MURHIMANYA BASHOMBANA