John Wessels / Oxfam

A woman collects a bag of dried food inside a camp in Bunia, DRC.

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Conflict, hunger and Ebola

Crisis in the DRC


More than five million people have been forced to flee their homes in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) because of vicious conflict. DRC is also home to nearly 500,000 refugees from Burundi, Central Africa Republic and South Sudan. Millions face severe hunger.

The country is suffering its worst ever outbreak of Ebola, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a public health emergency of international concern.

We are supporting people to

  • A woman wearing a black headwrap washes her hands at a metal Oxfam handwashing point with people in the background

    Survive today with clean water, toilets and handwashing facilities

    Oxfam has chlorinated hundreds of water points to make sure they are safe and has put up hand washing stations at busy, communal areas in the camps..

  • Two public health promotors stand in a town hall holding a poster about Ebola and talking to an audience of community members about stopping the spread

    Prepare for tomorrow by engaging communities on the risks of Ebola

    As well as providing physical support such as water and handwashing facilities, we are engaging and talking to communities about the risks of Ebola and how to prevent transmission.

  • Two clear plastic bags with flat straw-coloured watermelon seeds inside.

    Adapt for the future by helping people to grow new crops

    We’re providing seeds for crops and running ‘cash for work’ programs for the most vulnerable families.

Oxfam's Emergency Fund

Donations to our emergency fund mean we can plan our work, and respond to emergencies around the world, around the clock.

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John Wessels/Oxfam

We are taking care of the water system and we are building toilets in the camp. It's a complex situation - there's a big issue with space. We are looking into ways to increase the water supply.”

Junior in Democratic Republic of Congo

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