Democratic Republic of the Congo
JRS Programs in DRC
Two decades of conflict and instability have left the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with a weakened infrastructure and poor social services. Armed groups continue to roam eastern DRC, fuelled by issues of identity, poverty, land conflict, and corrupt governance. Currently, there are 5.6 million Congolese that are internally displaced in the DRC, living in a mix of official and unofficial camps.
JRS DRC supports the national primary and secondary education of the North and South Kivu provinces by assisting with school fees, teacher training, and raising awareness about the importance of education and inclusive education. JRS also provides formal and informal education for IDPs in camps surrounding Goma, Masisi and Mweso.
In addition to educational services, JRS DRC offers livelihoods training, emergency aid, and extracurricular activities such as sports and traditional dance to help children from both host and camp communities interact peacefully and find common ground. Due to an increase in sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), JRS has also implemented new projects to support survivors with income generating activities, focused psychological support, and community training.