Emergency Ebola Prevention and Community Protection Response in North Kivu, DR Congo:
Urgent Action to Protect Communities from Ebola in North Kivu!
Background
North Kivu Province in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to face multiple humanitarian crises, including armed conflict, mass displacement, poverty, food insecurity, and limited access to healthcare. The resurgence of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) has further increased the vulnerability of already fragile communities, particularly women, children, displaced families, and people living in remote and conflict-affected areas.
In the territories of Nyiragongo, Rutshuru, and Masisi, misinformation, fear, stigma, and inadequate access to reliable health information create significant challenges for disease prevention and response. Many communities remain difficult to reach due to insecurity, poor infrastructure, and limited humanitarian presence.
Who We Are
UPDCI asbl (Union de Peuples pour le Développement Communautaire Intègre) is a community-based and feminist civil society organization founded in 2022 and based in Nyiragongo Territory, North Kivu.
Our team has more than 13 years of grassroots experience in community mobilization, humanitarian action, protection, gender-based violence prevention, PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse), human rights documentation, youth empowerment, and public awareness campaigns.
For years, our members have worked voluntarily within vulnerable communities, often without external funding, to support women, children, youth, displaced populations, and survivors of crises.
Why This Emergency Matters
Ebola outbreaks do not only threaten public health; they also create:
Increased mortality among vulnerable populations;
Fear and misinformation within communities;
Stigmatization of survivors and affected families;
Increased vulnerability of women and girls;
Disruption of education and livelihoods;
Additional pressure on already fragile health systems.
Without immediate community-level prevention efforts, the outbreak risks spreading further among populations that already have limited access to information and healthcare services.
What We Are Doing
UPDCI asbl is implementing an emergency community-based response focused on prevention, awareness, protection, and social mobilization.
Our activities include:
1. Community Awareness and Education
Door-to-door awareness campaigns;
Community meetings and dialogues;
Information sessions in schools, churches, markets, and displacement sites;
Distribution of prevention messages in local languages.
2. Risk Communication
Radio broadcasts and interactive programs;
Community loudspeaker campaigns;
Social media awareness initiatives;
Production of educational materials.
3. Training Community Volunteers
Training youth leaders and community focal points;
Building local response capacity;
Strengthening community surveillance and reporting mechanisms.
4. Protection of Women and Girls
Targeted awareness sessions for women and girls;
Protection messaging for vulnerable populations;
Referral of vulnerable individuals to available support services.
5. Community Mobilization
Engagement of religious leaders;
Engagement of traditional leaders;
Youth participation initiatives;
Women's leadership in prevention activities.
6. Monitoring and Documentation
Collection of field information;
Community feedback mechanisms;
Reporting and accountability measures.
Communities We Aim to Reach
Our emergency response seeks to directly and indirectly reach:
Women and girls;
Children and adolescents;
Youth groups;
Internally displaced persons (IDPs);
Community leaders;
Religious leaders;
Teachers and students;
Vulnerable households.
We expect to reach more than 50,000 people through direct awareness activities and radio outreach during the initial phase of the campaign.
Why We Need Support
Despite our commitment and strong community presence, our response efforts remain severely constrained by limited resources.
Your support will help us:
Reach more remote communities;
Train additional volunteers;
Produce awareness materials;
Broadcast prevention messages on local radio stations;
Cover transportation and field logistics;
Strengthen community surveillance;
Protect vulnerable women and children;
Sustain emergency response activities.
The Impact of Your Donation
Every contribution helps save lives.
$25 can support awareness materials for an entire community session.
$50 can help train community volunteers.
$100 can support transportation for outreach teams to remote villages.
$250 can fund a local radio awareness program.
$500+ can significantly expand prevention efforts in high-risk communities.
Transparency and Accountability
UPDCI asbl is committed to responsible and transparent management of all resources received. Donors and partners may receive updates, field reports, photographs, activity summaries, and impact information regarding the use of funds.
A Message from UPDCI asbl
Today, communities across North Kivu are facing a dangerous combination of conflict, displacement, poverty, and disease. The fight against Ebola cannot be won by health actors alone. It requires informed communities, empowered local leaders, and collective action.
By supporting this campaign, you are helping protect families, strengthen community resilience, prevent disease transmission, and save lives.
Together, we can ensure that vulnerable communities in Nyiragongo, Rutshuru, and Masisi receive the information, protection, and support they urgently need.