Healthcare to Congo

World Vision is committed to partnering with the people of the DRC to enhance their lives today and to help enact sustainable solutions for the future of their communities, families, and children. Currently, 74,232 children are registered in the World Vision sponsorship program. Several times this number of children and other family members benefit from World Vision activities. Of these registered children, many have World Vision sponsors in other countries. U.S. donors sponsor nearly 19,000 girls and boys. In addition, World Vision operates 24 development programs, five of which are supported by U.S. donors. Highlights of these efforts include the following:

• The HIV and AIDS Mitigation Initiative is a USAID grant-funded project that aims to improve the quality of life for people living with HIV and AIDS and for orphans and vulnerable children who are affected by the disease. Project goals are to establish community care coalitions that will help treat chronically ill patients, provide free consultations and HIV educational materials, and coordinate with government and international agencies to provide seeds and agricultural tools. Approximately 2,835 people in the cities of Bukavu, Lubumbashi, and Matadi will benefit from this project.

• The Food Security Rehabilitation Project seeks to improve the availability of and access to food for 5,000 vulnerable households in the city of Kirotshe. World Vision will distribute goats to 1,000 families for breeding purposes. The first 500 families who receive goats will then each provide a goat to another family once their goat gives birth. Also, 5,000 farmers will receive cassava cuttings to help rebuild crops that were recently lost to disease. Ten farmer groups, five church groups, and 20 local authorities will be trained in soil restoration and protection skills. The rest of the Kirotshe community will benefit from this project as well because farmers will be able to pass on their newly acquired skills.