CERF allocates $1.1 million to underfunded humanitarian activities in Congo

17 September 2007: CERF allocates USD 1 million to the Republic of Congo as part of the second underfunded allocation in 2007. The Department of Pool is deeply affected by poverty and sporadic insecurity caused by the Ninja rebel group. With the signing of a peace agreement in the Pool, many people are now returning to resume their lives.

A participatory assessment carried out in February and March 2007 in the north of the Republic of Congo confirmed that access to health facilities is limited by the lack of state health structures: lack of medicines and equipment as well as trained staff especially in specialized fields. Morbidity is dominated by infectious diseases, most notably malaria and diarrhea linked to contaminated water sources. Factors, such as limited access to habitable land and extreme climatic and geographic conditions, result in poor economic conditions for all, Congolese citizens and refugees from neighboring countries alike.

Particularly vulnerable populations, such as single women or female heads of households, unaccompanied children, the elderly and the chronically ill face the most difficulties.

Source of clean tap water in a sub-prefecture of the Pool Department, about 140 km south of Brazzaville [Photo: IRIN]

With the CERF grant of $144,863 to UNDP, the agency’s local non-government partners will construct four water points in Kimbedi in the Pool region in order to provide at least 2,500 individuals with clean water, thereby reducing the incidence of water-related diseases. Another project will identify and rehabilitate defect water points in Betou refugee camp. Lastly, the CERF grant will be used to reintegrate and track the families of 150 street children who are often refugees from the DRC and have been made orphans as a result of the war.

UNHCR’s grant of $ 368,773 focuses on care and maintenance activities of refugees from the DRC in the north of the Republic of Congo. The majority of the 46,761 refugees living in 52 sites along the banks of the Oubangui River are not able to cope with their needs for health, education, and assistance to groups with special needs. The populations of this area, including refugees, live in extremely poor conditions and need humanitarian assistance. With the CERF grant, UNHCR will provide legal protection/assistance, health care, community services, activities/support for the most vulnerable persons, prevention of sexual violence, support for education, and support to agricultural crop production.

With a CERF grant of $96,300, WHO will seek to improve access to basic health services for vulnerable groups in the districts of Mindouli, Kindamba, Goma Tsétsé et Madibou in the Pool region. An estimated 110,000 people, including 22,000 children under five years, are expected to benefit from the medical services provided by WHO under this project.

The CERF grant of $270,042 to UNFPA will cover around 15,000 pregnant women and 20,000 children below 5 years living in the Pool region. It will contribute to the strengthening of the quality health services for women and children. UNFPA in partnership with UNICEF and local NGOs will assure the implementation of activities.

FAO will use its grant of $219,992 to promote food security and agricultural support for vulnerable populations. Recent recommendations of assessment missions by government, UN and other stakeholders have assessed it necessary to provide agricultural assistance for this vulnerable population. The project will assist 4,400 households in the Kinkala, Mindouli, Louingui and Boko districts of the Pool region by distributing agricultural seeds and tools.

[Last Update: 5 October 2007]

CERF allocates USD 881,000 to stem the cholera outbreak in Republic of Congo’s  departments of Point Noire, Kouilou, Brazzaville, and Pool.

7 March 2007: The Pool region in the southeast of the Republic of Congo (RoC) is the part of the country most affected by seasonal floods. Humanitarian response is hampered the lack of security and access for humanitarian workers. Most roads and bridges are in bad condition as a result of poor maintenance and war activities. The health sector is severely handicapped: basic health care structures have been destroyed, qualified personnel, equipment, and medicines are lacking.  Malaria and tuberculosis are common diseases in the area. Although the security situation has somewhat stabilized, most children who had dropped out of school during the conflict in 1997/98, have still not returned because school buildings were destroyed and materials looted.

Salesmen wade through water at a market in the flooded Mpila district in the east of Brazzaville. The outbreak of cholera followed the severe floods [Photo: IRIN/Mbon]

Access to potable water is limited to hospitals, so most people use water from rivers or ponds. The consequences are grim: diarrhoeal diseases and gastro-intestinal infections. Food security is also poor; populations have difficulties rebuilding their stock of seeds, and agricultural tools are lacking. Widespread looting also leaves farmers skeptical about re-starting cattle rearing activities. Furthermore, in December 2005 and March 2006, heavy rainfall led to flooding in Brazzaville and in the north of the country, with more than 5,000 people losing their home in the northern region of the city.

[Last update: 17 March 2007]

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