Democratic Republic of the Congo

World Vision is committed to partnering with the people of the DRC to improve their lives today and to help enact sustainable solutions for the future of their children, families, and communities. World Vision’s child sponsorship program plays a vital role in this partnership, with donors from the United States sponsoring more than 14,000 girls and boys. In addition to sponsorship, World Vision operates other programs that benefit communities in the DRC. These efforts include:

• Enriching the quality of life for people living with HIV and AIDS. Caring for orphans and vulnerable children affected by this disease, providing community care, educational materials, seeds, and agricultural tools.
• Improving water and sanitation, developing infrastructure, improving health and education, responding to HIV and AIDS, and improving food security through special shorter-term projects.
• Helping families affected by civil conflict in eastern DRC with survival items like blankets, soap, and plastic sheeting for temporary shelters.

World Vision work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo dates back to 1958, when it was known as the Belgian Congo and later Zaire. An office was opened in 1984. World Vision began working in the Belgian Congo in 1958 by establishing a Christian home for girls at risk of marrying at a young age. Since then, some of World Vision’s major accomplishments in the DRC include:

• Providing emergency supplies to victims of a volcanic eruption in eastern DRC that caused 61 deaths and left 11,000 homeless.
• Helping people recover from a 1977-78 drought by providing beans, vegetable seeds, powered milk, and medicines.
• Feeding the most malnourished children and families—35,000 people in all—during a critical food shortage in 1985.
• Training mothers on nutrition, hygiene, and preventive health basics, as well as how to care for skin and eye diseases and intestinal parasite problems in the 1990s.
• Addressing the critical needs of orphans and vulnerable children by providing medical care, education, food, clothing, and shelter in the 21st century.

Geography and people

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)—the 12th largest country in the world—sits in Central Africa. The DRC’s population of over 64 million makes it the 18th most populous nation in the world. Bordered by nine countries, the DRC has access to the Atlantic Ocean through a 25-mile stretch of western coastline.

Located on the equator, the DRC contains varying terrain and climates. A dense tropical rainforest covers the vast central interior. Rugged mountains in the east meet dry highlands and plateaus in the west and south. A lush river valley runs along the 3,000-mile Congo River.

Natural resources include cobalt, copper, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, tin, uranium, coal, and timber.

More than 225 ethnic groups live in the DRC. The four largest tribes—Mongo, Luba, Kongo, and Mangbetu-Azande—make up about 45 percent of the population. Though there are more than 700 local dialects spoken throughout the country, French is the official language and is used as an ethnically neutral way to communicate.

The majority of the population lives in rural areas, and many laborers work on farms, producing crops like cassava, corn, bananas, and coffee. The Congolese value family structure, and families will often live in the same house or in houses nearby.

History

Formerly known as the Belgian Congo, the DRC gained its independence in 1960 after 52 years of colonial rule. In November 1965, Colonel Joseph Mobutu seized power and changed the country’s name to Zaire.

Civil war and the arrival of refugees from Rwanda and Burundi led to the collapse of Mobutu’s government. After a rebel takeover, the country’s name changed to the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1997.

Continuous civil war since 1996 has devastated the country, displacing nearly 1.4 million people and killing more than 5 million. A 2003 peace agreement with rebels lasted only four years before rebels resumed battling the Congolese army. Fighting intensified in 2008 and 2009, displacing more than 250,000 people in a short period of time.

Please pray for:

The protection and care of women and children who are vulnerable to violence and abuse.

Quick recoveries for people affected by cholera and other sicknesses.