Photos of the launch of Congo (DR) Crisis appeal in Scotland
Daniella Nardini today joined the Disasters Emergency Committee to call on Scots to help save lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The appeal was launched with a news conference hosted by Mhairi Owens of Concern Worldwide and featured a live link up with Oxfam’s Country Director in DRC, Juliette Prodham. Juliette, who grew up in Glasgow, described the extreme urgency of the situation on the ground for people who have fled violence with nothing but the clothes they stand up in and how agencies are having to be flexible in the way that they are working in getting aid to people, many of whom are on the move. “We’re seeing many separated families and yes, it is an extremely traumatic situation for these people”, she said. Fatou Mbuyi, an eastern Congolese woman who has been living in Glasgow since 2002 spoke of how worrying the situation is. “I have four friends in the area and I have not heard from them for a long time. I don’t know where they are or how to find them. It’s really hard because I am here, I am safe, and I don’t know what is happening to them. Really it’s just horrible. Please, please open your hearts and give what you can to help save lives”. The conference was reminded that even though millions of people have died in the wars in DRC over the past few years, less than 10 percent of those deaths were violent. The majority of people have died due to the consequences of being displaced and that is where the Scottish public can help.
