Providing basic facilities

We have been providing water and sanitation facilities to camps in eastern DRC including Camp Aero which has provided shelter for up to 19,000 people.

“Oxfam is helping to keep us healthy while we are living here by providing water and toilets," says Philip, a resident of Camp Aero. "When we were hiding in the bush our health was bad because we couldn’t get good water.”

Photo: Jane Beesley

Making health promotion fun

Children learn about the importance of washing their hands through games and songs.

Nicholas (8) sings a song he has learnt from an Oxfam public health children’s group in Camp Aero.

We trained a network of volunteers in the camps who promoted good health and hygiene. We also paid people to keep the facilities clean, and to clear rubbish from around the camps.

Photo: Jane Beesley

Meeting women’s needs

In some camps we distributed sanitary wear, and installed places for washing clothes, like the one pictured.

“The women were very happy to get things like pants, soap and tissues. We thought no one would give us these things and that we would have to use what we could find,” explains Beatrice from North Kivu.

Photo: Jane Beesley

Helping returnees

As people return home we are working to provide basic services to communities and schools. Clean water is essential.

Here, Asila collects water from a spring which Oxfam has protected. “Before, the soil flowed down the hill and covered the spring. Now that the water is protected it's better quality, it's cleaner,” she says.

Photo: Jane Beesley

Improving sanitation facilities

We are building latrines in public places and schools.

These new latrines have been built by Oxfam at Luchay School. The old latrines can be seen in the background.

We are also working with families to help them construct their own latrines.

Photo: Jane Beesley

Promoting good health

Health promotion is an essential part of our work with communities. These booklets were produced to teach children about the best ways of staying healthy. We also provide training for teachers, and community health workers, in health promotion activities.

Photo: Jane Beesley

Increasing access to education

We are working to improve the quality of basic education and to increase the numbers of children going to school.

Following conflict and continued neglect of the education system; the provision of primary education in the DRC is limited. We are refurbishing schools, promoting girls’ education and training teachers and others involved in the school.

These children attend a school that has received support from Oxfam.

Photo: Mark Kiehlmann

Building a new future

We will work to ensure that people get the support they need to rebuild their lives.

Children pose by a signboard promoting peace. Throughout the conflict, through lobbying nationally and internationally, we have sought to bring the crisis to the world’s attention.

We will continue our work to ensure that the people of the DRC are not forgotten.

Photo: Jane Beesley