Hundreds of thousands of people have fled violence in eastern DRC and crowded into camps that fail to meet their basic needs. Here, residents wait in long lines for limited water and must make every drop count.
Clémence Fazili, 31, a mother of three, gave birth to her youngest, a boy, at the end of February. After delivering her older children, who are now 4 and 6, she avoided carrying heavy loads for at least two months. But this time, after six hours of labor, recovery is a luxury she can't afford. Fazili is in charge of an essential task for her family's survival: fetching water.
"With the only can I am able to carry, the only way I can use this hard-earned water is by counting every drop," Fazili says."Even the baby is not allowed to bathe every day." According to a February report from the United Nations Children's Fund, known as UNICEF, the camps were barely scraping by, with a mere 6 liters of water per person daily, less than half the 15 liters per person daily recommended by international standards. And, as camp populations swell, even that is likely to drop.
Despite being close to Lake Kivu, one of the continent's great freshwater reservoirs, and getting an abundance of rain, the city of Goma has faced water shortages for years, due to the dilapidated state of distribution pipes, environmental degradation, and lack of investment and funding, as well as conflict. People living in displacement camps face even greater obstacles, says Albert Mugisha, chief of the Kanyaruchinya camp.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Congo-Kinshasa: Regional Military Leaders Meet in Eastern DRC to Coordinate Strategy Against M23 RebelsStability hangs in the balance in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where military leaders from five regional countries have been meeting for days to devise a coordinated military strategy to end hostilities that risk escalating into a regional conflict.
Read more »
Congo-Kinshasa: Children As Young As Nine Face Mass Sexual Violence and Mutilation in the DRCPress Release - Content Warning: This press release includes graphic details of sexual violence and may be particularly distressing to some.
Read more »
Congo-Kinshasa: Massive Humanitarian Response Needed to Avoid Health Catastrophe in DRCInterview - Two years of violent fighting between the M23 armed group and the Congolese army (FARDC) and its allies in North Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) intensified in late January. Fighting has now reached the border with South Kivu province, causing new mass displacement.
Read more »
Congo-Kinshasa: Ahead of Expected Verdict, CPJ Calls Prosecution of DRC Journalist Stanis Bujakera 'Outrageous'Ahead of an expected verdict in the prosecution of Congolese journalist Stanis Bujakera Tshiamala on March 20 and in light of recent testimony presented by the court's technical expert on March 8, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement on Thursday.
Read more »
Congo-Kinshasa: CPJ Welcomes Release of DRC Journalist Stanis Bujakera, Calls for Release of Blaise MabalaThe Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the Democratic Republic of the Congo's release of journalist Stanis Bujakera Tshiamala, but is alarmed by his six-month prison sentence and fine of 1 million Congolese francs (US$400) and the ongoing detention of journalist Blaise Mabala, who has been in custody since December.
Read more »
Congo-Kinshasa: Freed DRC Journalist Says He Was Imprisoned As Warning to OthersProminent Congolese journalist Stanis Bujakera, released from prison this week after spending six months behind bars, has accused the government of seeking to intimidate journalists looking into the death of an opposition politician.
Read more »