By Kelly Brantner | CEO
The Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2022 experienced a significant uptake in civil unrest which led to an influx of women, children, and the elderly into refugee camps outside of Goma, the capital city of North Kivu province in the eastern DR Congo. Specifically, Goma is located on the northern shore of Lake Kivu and next to the Rwandan city of Gisenyi.
With the arrival of so many individuals into the camps, our partner Remember Youth for Change (RYC) quickly pivoted from everyday programs to deal with the humanitarian crisis that was unfolding. One of the critical immediate identified needs was for clothing for the children because many arrived with few (if any) changes of clothes because of the quick evacuation from their villages.
Remember Youth for Change mobilised the individuals currently in the sewing program as well as others into a "sewing bee" to create as many sets of clothes as possible utilising available fabric including that BBS provided late last summer courtesy of two private donors. The sewing volunteers required one month preparation time and on December 29 the RYC team of volunteers distributed the new clothes and in total 315 children were helped.
On December 29, RYC also hosted a play afternoon filled with games, songs, and storytelling plus special snacks to create a joyful break for the children.
The feedback from the mothers was one of overwhelming appreciation and they were genuinely touched for the support they received during this difficult time. For the children, it was an afternoon of laughs and fun that provided a much-needed break from their daily routine.
The donations we’ve received through this page for the sewing program now have had a huge impact not only on the lives of former soldiers but on the children in Goma’s refugee camps.
As a supplement to this report, we're providing a number of photos so that you can see your donation at work. We are truly grateful for the support of our community for the DR Congo programs and especially during this period.
We look forward to sharing more about the impact of your donation in 2023 and as the situation unfolds on the ground we will report back accordingly.
Thank you again and best wishes to all in this new year.
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