NRC DR Congo - Fact Sheet - Norwegian Refugee Council

NRC DR Congo - Fact Sheet
Basic Info
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Established: 2001
Latest Update: April 2013 Country Director: Cheick BA
Country Office: Goma, North Kivu, (93, Avenue de la
Frontière; Katindo gauche)
Field offices: Goma, Béni, Bukavu , Kinshasa
(liaison office), Baraka, Kirumba,
Masisi, Walikale (satellite offices)
Budget 2013: NOK 114 million International staff: 15
Budget 2012 NOK 115 million National staff: 292
Phone +243 (0) 81 08 69 030
+243 (0) 99 04 39 211
Updated April 2013
E-mail: countrydirector@drc.nrc.no
Donors:
Norwegian MFA, UNICEF, SIDA, ECHO, PRM (US Government), DFID, WFP, Telethon, UNDP
Humanitarian and political context
The volatility of the political and security situation in the DRC will unfortunately continue to have a negative impact on the
humanitarian context. Security vacuums created by the Congolese army have led to the increase of armed groups and self-defence
groups, the radicalization of various conflicts that exacerbate ethnic and community cleavages. The waves of displacement will
continue in 2013. The number of displaced people in DRC is estimated to be 2.6 million with 80% in Eastern regions. At this stage it is
difficult to predict the outcomes of the peace and security framework agreement signed in Addis Ababa in February 2013, the new
March 2013 UN Security Council Resolution authorising a robust brigade which can also affect the civilians population if the military
intervention doesn’t adequately take into consideration their protection, and given the high risk of “collateral damage”. NRC will
continue to facilitate the dialogue through its programmes in order to ease tensions and mediate potential conflicts between returnees
and host communities.
NRC in DR Congo
NRC is providing protection and assistance to its beneficiaries in DRC through the following activities:
Education: The education programme stems from NRC’s expertise with the Teacher Emergency Package (TEP) and the Youth
Education Pack (YEP) programmes. Since 2010, NRC has been developing an Education in Emergencies (EiE) component into its
programme ensuring access to education for pupils in displacement or return areas in the North and South Kivu. In 2013, NRC will
continue to promote the right to education and protection for all children, providing assistance to circa 77,505 children and youth in
DRC and focus on the strengthening of the recently introduced child protection component.
Shelter: The construction team is actively supporting the implementation of projects under other Core Competencies with financial
support of a variety of donors including ECHO, RRMP, and the Dutch Government through UNDP. The main activities are currently
focusing on the building and/or rehabilitation of primary schools classrooms accompanied by water harvesting points, latrines and
playgrounds, the construction of protection centres within CCCM IDPs camp in Masisi Territory.
ICLA: The activities continue to focus on HLP (Housing, Land and Property) issues in North and South Kivu with legal assistance
provided through 47 local Commissions. At the same time, awareness raising on HLP and legal documentation, and training of
Commission members, State and customary authorities constitute important components of the ICLA programme.
WASH: In January 2013, NRC established a new WASH department in accordance with the new global strategic orientation and
based on ananalysis of the needs in NRC’s areas of operation and the current coverage of those needs by other actors.
FS: The Food Security programme’s main objective is to support people affected by displacement with food assistance while ensuring
their survival and upholding their dignity, and as far as possible preventing the erosion of their assets and building resilience.
Advocacy: NRC‘s advocacy strategy aims to influence policy and decision makers; including Congolese authorities, communities
themselves, humanitarian partners, and donor countries, in response to the protection and assistance needs of people affected by
displacement in DRC.
NRC priorities for 2013 and beyond:
In relation to the conditions of protracted conflict and instability that pervade the Kivus, NRC will continue to focus on its traditional
target group including returning refugees, Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and host communities affected by displacements or
returns. NRC will continue to strive to base its assistance on vulnerabilities and actual needs rather than on status alone. In 2013,
NRC will also work towards a more integrated and holistic approach through which synergies achieved will ensure a higher impact.
Where possible NRC will support the pursuit of more durable solutions, considering local integration amongst these.
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NRC core activities in the DR Congo:
EDUCATION
In 2013, NRC is implementing TEP (Teacher Emergency Package), YEP (Youth Education Pack) and EiE (Education in Emergency)
projects promoting access to education and protection for all children. A total of 23,389 beneficiaries have already been reached with
funding from the Norwegian MFA, SIDA, ECHO, PRM, UNICEF and Pooled Fund. Among these beneficiaries are 750 learners
enrolled in YEP programs and 178 teachers who have received training. More than 1,000 parents and local authorities have been
sensitized on the importance of education, child protection and their active participation to promote children’s rights. NRC recently
started two new EiE projects funded by ECHO and Pooled Fund in North and South Kivu territories targeting over 15,000 children.
Since January, NRC has already built 10 classrooms in two Temporary Learning Spaces in Masisi, and the construction of 33
additional classrooms (5 schools) began in March.
SHELTER
In 2013, NRC will support the construction of at least 54 and 12 classrooms (with accompanying latrines, water harvesting points, and
playgrounds) for primary schools in North Kivu and South Kivu respectively, as well as the construction of 2 protection centres. 6
classrooms (+ 12 latrines) and 1 water harvesting system are already under construction and the work will be completed by the end of
April 2013 in North Kivu. In South Kivu, NRC is currently assessing plots and sensitizing and mobilizing community members for the
construction of the schools. Funds for those activities are currently made available by a number of donors including ECHO, Pooled
Funds, RRMP, and the Dutch Government through UNDP.
ICLA (Information, Counseling, and Legal Assistance)
ICLA activities focus on the dissemination of knowledge on HLP (Housing, Land and Property), inheritance rights, civil documentation
relevance, and IDP Guiding Principles in North and South Kivu. In 2013, ICLA will continue its material support to existing
Commissions as well as building the capacity of their members. In addition, ICLA will establish 5 new commissions in North and South
Kivu, address around 1.800 land conflicts through mediation, conduct information campaigns, and support 2 local NGOs engaged in
ICLA actions.
WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion):
In 2013, NRC is establishing a new WASH department with funds from NMFA and hopes to be one of the main actors in the sector by
the end of the year. Recruitment of technical staff is coming to a close and a rapid assessment in Masisi Territory and other return
areas of IDPs in North Kivu is being conducted.
FOOD SECURITY
With the situation existing in Eastern DRC, characterized by areas of increased stability and others of continued insecurity and
displacement, the NRC Food Security strategy for 2013 is based on a mixed approach. In areas of improved security and population
returns, NRC places focus on stimulating the recovery of land and market access while promoting crop production, helping the most
vulnerable to regain appropriate livelihoods and avoid negative coping mechanisms bearing long-term consequences. In South Kivu,
up to March 2013, 1.500 households had been identified and trained on IGA. In North Kivu, NRC will implement livelihoods activities
for the third and final year of a DfID-funded project targeting 4.800 households. In areas of continued or new displacement where
alternatives are not available, emergency food interventions continue to be necessary in order to save lives and protect basic assets.
To do so, NRC decided to specialize in Cash & Voucher approaches for food assistance: up to March 2013, NRC had assisted 20.332
individuals with ECHO funding and for the rest of the 2013, NRC forecasts to assist circa 56.550 individuals with support from ECHO
and NMFA.
RRMP (Rapid Response mechanism to Movements of Population)
NRC’s RRMP, the biggest emergency and multi sector project in Eastern DRC, is funded by UNICEF. Its main objectives are to
ensure humanitarian surveillance with assessments conducted in areas of massive displacements and to assist people affected by
such displacement. In 2012, NRC’s teams have conducted 93 MSA for an estimated total population of 1,752,454 individuals resulting
in assistance being provided to over 200,000 beneficiaries. The assistance included NFI distributions and fairs, emergency education
and protection (catch up classes and school vouchers), and construction/rehabilitation of schools and latrines. For the 4 th year of the
RRMP (2013-2014), NRC’s capacity (and available budget) amounts to 105 MSA, NFI assistance to 145,000 beneficiaries (29,000
households), and education and protection to the 28,050 students in 85 schools (44 of which will benefit from construction works).
RRR (Return Reintegration and Recovery)
In March 2013, NRC started a project funded by the Dutch Government through UNDP, which contributes to the International Security
Stabilisation Support Strategy (I4S). NRC’s project focuses on the 4 th objective of the I4S, ‘Return, Reintegration and Recovery” or
RRR and it covers a period of 20 months. The RRR project aims at promoting and supporting voluntary return of displaced population
to their areas of origin. 1,800 shelters and over 10 community structures will be built and handed over to selected beneficiaries and
communities in Petit North Kivu Province (i.e. Masisi and Rutshuru). The ICLA programme will be empowered to support the
verification of land ownership and to mediate potential land issues and conflicts. NRC will also build and run a YEP centre in South
Kivu Province (i.e. Bunyakiri) for the vocational training of 300 youths. The project is implemented through a community and
participatory based approach and in close coordination with all NRC core competences.
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