Providing life-saving support in Burundi and DRC

The Dutch Relief Alliance (DRA) started an Acute Joint Response in Eastern DRC and Burundi, with Help a Child as the lead organisation. Tens of thousands of refugees are in dire need of humanitarian assistance; there is a lack of food, healthcare services, sanitary services and safe shelter.

Fleeing the fighting between rebels and government forces, people often left without taking anything, and the camps or locations where they arrive are not suitable for hosting this many people. Especially women and children are at risk of (sexual) violence, many children have been separated from their families, and there is a high risk of disease outbreaks. Urgent humanitarian support is needed to address this crisis in both the DRC and Burundi.

The Joint Response covers areas in Uvira territory in the DRC, and Bujumbura and Buhumuza province in Burundi. We work together with partner organisations Oxfam Novib, Stichting Vluchteling, Tearfund, War Child and World Vision. With this response, we will reach 147,169 vulnerable people, and the programme will run until 23 June 2026.

Tessa Teurlings, coordinator programmes and partners: “We are grateful to be able to work on this much-needed acute response in Burundi and DRC, to help people who have been forced to flee their homes, often not for the first time. Help a Child will focus on the protection of children, aiming to reunite them with their families and provide psychosocial support in this dire situation.”

For more information on this response, follow this link.