Uwamahoro Florence had to leave the village of Jomba eight months ago because of conflict raging in the Kivu district of Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Florence’s family has not been able to feed themselves properly due to a lack of resources. And Uwimana Biraro Josephine could not find enough food for her three children.
But now, Florence and Josephine and their families are among about 12,000 people who recently received food and other supplies from the Women of Faith humanitarian organization with support from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Florence said, “May our God bless them. The aid we received enabled us to respond to our basic needs, including food and non-food items.”
Josephine said the donations “have given us back a smile and hope that we lost for a while.”
The conflict has affected the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Eighty-seven percent of those displaced are staying with host families. The rest are living in schools and churches, reported the Church’s Africa Newsroom.
The donations went to the most vulnerable, including people with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, widows and orphans.
Each aid kit contained 25 kg bags of rice, beans and flour, as well as oil, salt, sugar, soap, clothing and a small amount of money for transportation. Distribution took place in multiple churches of different faiths in the area in August and September.
Gen. Sylvain Ekenge, humanitarian aid advisor to the military governor of Kivu, said, “We welcome this act of solidarity done by Women of Faith and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in this difficult period of war in this part of Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“There is no greater gesture of love than to think of those who are suffering. The national and provincial governments are fighting day and night to do everything possible to bring this war to an end. We thank the organization and its donor. We ask other people of goodwill to think of the displaced persons who are still suffering in different locations.”
Ekenge assisted Nadine Banze, national coordinator of the Women of Faith organization, and Charles Shabani, a local representative of the Church from the city of Goma.
According to information on the Women of Faith website about the donations, Banze underlined the urgency of providing more assistance to those displaced by conflict and called on other benefactors to help.
Shabani also noted the importance of assisting these people in need, saying the Church follows God’s teachings to help others.
