Post by International Rescue Committee

In eastern DRC, tens of thousands of people are living through a crisis most of the world isn't hearing about. In South Kivu, over 46,000 people, including more than 6,700 who have been forced from their homes, have almost no access to basic services. The IRC is working in consortium with Folkekirkens Nødhjælp (DanChurchAid) and the Norwegian Refugee Council, with funding from the DRC Humanitarian Fund, to support communities where women and girls face serious protection risks, water sources are largely unsafe, and thousands of households have no reliable way to meet basic needs. For households with nothing left, unconditional cash assistance can be the difference between getting by and losing everything. With an Ebola outbreak now affecting the region, the response has had to adapt. That means triage areas, protective equipment, hygiene awareness — and cash distributions designed to avoid crowding, through digital transfers and staggered payments. Beyond the health risks, Ebola brings its own hidden harms: stigma, restricted movement, and a heightened risk of violence for affected communities. Our teams are scaling up support for those affected by these consequences.