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Female ZOA staff member hands out fabric

Female staff encourages displaced elderly in DRC

The conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo has caused many people to flee, including elderly men and women. In a bid to put a smile back on the faces of some of these migrants, female ZOA staff recently gathered to encourage them in a refugee camp in North Kivu.

Female ZOA staff encourages displaced elderly in DRC

‘People suffer a great deal of trauma’

Due to the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), many people have lost their homes, possessions and loved ones. “People here suffer a great deal of trauma,” said Gisèle Kanyonyo.

On behalf of ZOA in DRC, she organized an event with the aim of encouraging elderly men and women, victims and displaced persons of war in the province of North Kivu.

In a bid to put a smile back on the faces of some of these migrants, female ZOA staff in DRC travelled to North Kivu to meet about 150 men and women, victims and displaced persons of war.

Extremely precarious

The entire women's team, accompanied by a few men, met up in the refugee camp Lushagala camp in Mugunga. With help from the local community and the camp secretary, they were able to distribute kits including food and non-food items.

“I’d like to call on all people of good will to continue thinking of the war-displaced in DRC,” said camp secretary Jean-Paul Hakizimana. “They find themselves in an extremely precarious situation.”

Read more about ZOA's work in DRC

Elderly man with fabric in DRC