Africa

Imagine compassion in a crisis: Congo’s killing fields

Imagine compassion in a crisis: Congo’s killing fields

“All I want is for an end to this war so my family can return to our village,” said Sophie Kenzia. The people of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo were just aching to go home. They wanted safety, a dry bed and regular meals. What they got was rape, killing or a grim life in ...

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South Sudan on the brink

South Sudan on the brink

The bishop’s map shows hit-and-run attacks peppering the length of Sudan’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The raids are recorded village-by-village in tallies of killed, wounded, abducted. In Bangolo, five killed, four wounded, and eleven abducted over two days in January. In Gangura, six killed and six abducted in December. In Luru, three ...

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Children in Darfur receiving clean water

Children in Darfur receiving clean water

Eleven-year old Fatima lives with her family in Khamsadageig IDP camp in Darfur. It is home to 19,000 people. Established in 2005, it is one of the oldest camps in Darfur. Caritas supports programmes that provide water, sanitation facilities and hygiene promotion campaigns in the camp. As the eldest of five siblings, she must help ...

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‘Darfur must not become a forgotten emergency’

‘Darfur must not become a forgotten emergency’

Darfur is in danger of becoming a forgotten emergency, according to Nyika Musiyazwiriyo, the outgoing Head of Programmes for the joint ACT/Caritas Darfur Programme. “Darfur is slipping from our minds,” explains Nyika. “Funding for humanitarian work in the region has decreased substantially since the conflict first came to international attention. And Darfur is no longer ...

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Goma suffers as Congo unrest continues

Goma suffers as Congo unrest continues

Seven people killed and 255 houses burnt down in rebel attacks in North Kivu, eastern Congo. The news to come from Caritas Congo yesterday was bleak, like it has been for months. First there were stories of conflict and displacements, then the stories of child soldiers and rapes. Even a volcano may now erupt near Goma in ...

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Zimbabwean refugees abused in South Africa

They escaped with their lives from a country in collapse. They fled often with nothing. They came to the region’s richest and most powerful nation looking for protection. However, they have been welcomed with abuse, discrimination and a blindness to their plight. Approximately 3,000 Zimbabwean men, women, children and babies are trapped in dire conditions ...

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