DR Congo: " Hey you, you've survived. Now you've arrived "

Esther Nsapu blogs at Rafika, this has been translated by the Rafika translation service from French and then been cleaned up a bit by me. All errors are mine. I have avoided making any comments.

Kitchanga: the vulnerable populations living through farming activities

We are in Masisi territory specifically in the Kibumbu marsh 85 km from Goma; before me dozens of vulnerable people are carrying out work on community fields, repair farms and deserted schools. Others are working on storage facilities or in community granaries. Here men and women work together regardless of language or tribes.

The WFP ( World Food Programme ) is supporting developments in collaboration with PADEC Food Programme, a local NGO is implementing a program called " Living for Travai " for over 48,000 vulnerable households among them Internally Displaced Persons ( IDP ), returnees and householders to combat food insecurity in Kitchanga part of the Masisi territory. 

Kitchanga Marsh operation has arranged small plots of eight hectares per household. Each household operates its plot free for a period of 5 years.

The objective of this project is to restore livelihoods as well as the social and economic reintegration of vulnerable people, says Mr. Djaounsede from the WFP.

In this environment, it is not easy for poor families to rebuild their lives after a natural disaster or armed conflict. Many of them are displaced persons from Kahira, Nyabiondo, Pinga, Walikale, Bugini, Rutchuru, Bibwe and other places.

" I am from Bibwe, and I am a mother of 7 children. Through this project live to work , I can provide for my family; I managed to get a plot of land and I started to grow sprouts and sweet potatoes ". Says Ms. Ndondoli who is cultivating the marsh.

Since 2013, vulnerable families have regained their independence because this project, it has allowed many displaced returned and to improve their standard of living. 

For Mr Simon Bitahwa of PADEC the WFP in conjunction with the Programme for Community Support has assisted PADEC developments since 2013. More than 800 vulnerable households have benefitted from the development of acres of the Marsh for vegetable production and this has built social cohesion between conflict-torn communities. From the second year, each household operates its land independently.

The role of this project is to provide food and allow the displaced to have enough to eat and to devote their energies full time to the implementation this programme.

It is worth noting that the activities of " work for food " is taking place in areas affected by armed groups such as the North and South Kivu, Provinces Orientale, Katanga and Equateur but problems continue to arise in conflict zones, those of insecurity and access to land.