SIDA members Oxfam Scotland and Tearfund have been awarded Scottish Government funding to deliver life-saving humanitarian aid in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where millions of people face hunger, insecurity and the devastating impacts of violence and forced displacement.
Since January, more than three million people in the DRC have been forced to flee their homes as fighting by armed groups intensifies and humanitarian needs increase exponentially, triggering one of the world’s most urgent and complex crises.
The £250,000 provided through the Humanitarian Emergency Fund (HEF) will be distributed to Oxfam Scotland and Tearfund, and through local partners, to support emergency relief efforts across eastern DRC – helping families pay for essentials such as food, fuel, shelter or hygiene items, as well as accessing urgent medical care, trauma services and safe transport.
External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson said:
“The situation [in the DRC] is being worsened by the scaling back of humanitarian assistance by other international donors. While our funding may only make a small impact in the face of such overwhelming need, we are determined to stand behind our values and Scotland’s long and proud history of responding to humanitarian crises around the world.”
Manenji Mangundu, Oxfam Scotland’s Country Director in the Democratic Republic of Congo, said:
“Every day, our partners and colleagues are meeting mothers who’ve walked for miles with nothing but their children in their arms, desperately searching for safety. They’ve lost everything: their homes, their loved ones, their hope of a normal life. The scale of human suffering here is staggering.
“The recent cuts to humanitarian funding have been devastating. We’ve had to make impossible choices about who gets clean water, medicine, or even a place to sleep.
“That’s why support from the Scottish Government is so vital. With our local partner, it’s helping us reach people who would otherwise be left with nothing. But with millions still in desperate need, we urgently need other governments and donors to follow Scotland’s lead. Now is the time to step up, not step back.”
The Humanitarian Emergency Fund (HEF) is an annual £1 million fund provided by the Scottish Government to respond to overseas humanitarian emergencies. The aim of the HEF is to provide immediate and effective assistance to reduce the threat to life and wellbeing (e.g., hunger, disease or death) for a large number of a population caused by disasters, disease or conflict.
The HEF is administered by the Disasters Emergency Committee, and since its establishment in 2017, has been supported by a panel of representatives from eight leading humanitarian organisations in Scotland; Oxfam, The British Red Cross, Islamic Relief, Tearfund, Save the Children, Christian Aid, SCIAF and Mercy Corps. The Panel is chaired by SIDA’s Chief Executive, Frances Guy.
Read the full news release from the Scottish Government here.