CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM
CWS EMERGENCY APPEAL: Congo/ Emergency Relief & Rehabilitation
  for War Victims
EMERGENCY ACCOUNT # 6442
CWS goal: $50,000
March 8, 2002


SITUATION: Despite a peace agreement signed in July 1999, the war in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The eastern part of the
country is still controlled by the rebel groups supported by Rwanda and
Uganda, while the other half under the Kinshasa government of Kabila is
being supported by Zimbabwe and Angola. Despite some progress with peace
efforts, the security situation in the eastern half of the country still
remains very volatile as the warring factions, ethnic groups and other
non-state actors continue to clash.

The South and North Kivu and Kisangani regions have been among the worst
affected. The damages to infrastructure are vast, poverty has reached very
high proportions, civil servants are not being paid, small commercial
activities have been halted while hundreds of thousands of people have
been displaced. Accurate statistics of people needing humanitarian aid are
difficult to obtain due to the insecurity prevailing in some of the places
where the displaced are living.  However, the United Nations estimates
that some 2 million people are displaced and about 16 million people are
considered vulnerable.


RESPONSE: Several members of the Action by Churches International (ACT)
network have been providing assistance to the war affected people in the
eastern part of the country, including the Church of Christ in Congo
(ECC), a CWS partner and the coordinating body of Protestant churches in
the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The ECC is working in a number of
locales in the country, including South Kivu.

There, the ECC is providing assistance to vulnerable and displaced persons
in both urban and rural areas. In the current appeal, the ECC seeks to
provide food and non food items assistance; basic medical supplies /
pharmaceutical products for 85 health centers and 8 hospitals; peace and
reconciliation programs; agricultural inputs (seeds, tools, livestock);
rehabilitation of health centers and schools; assistance to school pupils
without families.

The bulk of the assistance -- food and non-food -- is for 30,000 persons
or 5,000 families; in addition, 500 children with malnutrition; assistance
to 60 health centers and four hospitals; peace seminars for 120
participants; and educational assistance to 500 students.

The total budget for this project is for : $224,170, of which $208,750 is
for direct assistance. CWS is supporting this appeal by seeking $50,000 in
denominational assistance.

For more specific information, including budget information, contact CWS
ERP. Or go to the Action by Churches Together (ACT) International web
site: www.act-intl.org CHURCH WORLD SERVICE, Congo/ Emergency Relief &
Rehabilitation for War Victims, #6442, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN, 46515.
Phone pledges or credit card donations: 1-800-297-1516.

On-line contributions to: www.churchworldservice.org
Call the CWS HOTLINE for updates: (800) 297-1516
Email: donnajderr@aol.com
On the Web: www.cwserp.org


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