Goma
Date
16.02.11
Information
The situation in DRC is really one that is difficult for us to comprehend. The most basic social structures that we take for granted simply don’t exist for the vast majority of people. One statistic which kind of sum’s it up is that in a country the size of Western Europe they only have 1000km of tarmacked road. In a country so ravaged by war, poverty and corruption people get driven to extremes to survive, many of the worst abuses being committed against young girls. It was against this backdrop that I went to DR Congo for War Child to interview some of the victims of this abuse
Several of the girls I interviewed had become quite hardened to the situation they were now in, It’s one way of dealing with the treatment they endured, others were very traumatised still. I’m unable to watch one of the interviews as the girl was so traumatized by what had been done to her and her family. Another heavily pregnant girl was only 13 years old
War Child is they’re working with local NGO’s providing a safe, secure and supportive home and environment for the girls to work through they’re trauma. They provide sensitive counselling and are teaching them skills that will enable them to be independent in the outside world. Many unfortunately are still under threat from those who abused them. Often their families are also threatened and have to move out of the area.
If you’d like to help out the best place to go is War child as the work they are doing is really excellent and they have a great understanding of the needs of the girls who are referred to them.
Whilst I was in Goma I came across a couple of local’s working with some of the street kids. What they were doing was really positive and run on a shoestring. They need to get some new or second-hand equipment to enable them to continue their work. I’ll be posting more about this later as I’d like to ask you to help out if you can.
Thanks
Adam.
Several of the girls I interviewed had become quite hardened to the situation they were now in, It’s one way of dealing with the treatment they endured, others were very traumatised still. I’m unable to watch one of the interviews as the girl was so traumatized by what had been done to her and her family. Another heavily pregnant girl was only 13 years old
War Child is they’re working with local NGO’s providing a safe, secure and supportive home and environment for the girls to work through they’re trauma. They provide sensitive counselling and are teaching them skills that will enable them to be independent in the outside world. Many unfortunately are still under threat from those who abused them. Often their families are also threatened and have to move out of the area.
If you’d like to help out the best place to go is War child as the work they are doing is really excellent and they have a great understanding of the needs of the girls who are referred to them.
Whilst I was in Goma I came across a couple of local’s working with some of the street kids. What they were doing was really positive and run on a shoestring. They need to get some new or second-hand equipment to enable them to continue their work. I’ll be posting more about this later as I’d like to ask you to help out if you can.
Thanks
Adam.
Links
War ChildWar Child
