Impact in Binza! What a Year!

** Warning - this story contains sensitive content*

1000's of cabbages, 100's of bunny rabbits, 16 clean water wells and 71,703 people including 41,331 children lives impacted.

Despite definite hardships, 2020 has had moments of hope and wonder. The first year of our Binza projects in Eastern DRC have delivered heartwarming and life changing results!

Binza is an extremely dangerous place. Presently, no other NGOs are willing to work in the area due to instability and security concerns. Located in Rutshuru territory, in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Binza lies between the Ugandan border and the Virunga National Park, a place of immense natural beauty -- and of bitter and deadly conflict.

In addition to rebel-led armed violence, food insecurity, natural disasters caused by climate change, kidnappings and armed robbery threaten children's lives here. Kids are highly vulnerable and child malnutrition rates are alarming.

Binza is a place that can change in an instant. One moment the community could be tending a crop of cabbages when suddenly an armed group can arrive, violently demanding food, stealing community supplies or threatening to kidnap a child to invoke a bribe.

Covid-19, conflict and instability could not stop the incredible impact being made in Binza. From late 2019, World Vision conducted community workshops to identify the key areas that require immediate support as well as larger, long-term community sustainable goals.

Nutrition including child malnutrition, food security and WASH initiatives were voted as the top priorities. 71,703 people including 41,331 children have been impacted by the various programs in 2020.

Our projects aim to strengthen the community's ability to ensure the well-being of the children. In Binza severe child malnutrition has been a key focus.

16 additional health staff, education, food security initiatives including, farming resources, bunny distribution and new crop production, home visits and therapeutic food supplies have contributed to saving the lives of 2,467 children** (1,264 boys; 1,203 girls).

Severe malnutrition robs many children of their lives, or permanently damages their future as ongoing health problems due to inadequate development.

Glodis is 4 years old and thankfully, alive.

World Vision staff were alerted to Glodis' desperate situation during a community screening. After several consultations and home visits with Glodis' mother she agreed to bring him to the health facility for treatment.

Glodis' case was so serious that the child, at the age of 4 years old, could not stand upright. The first 14 days of treatment were critical, thankfully he survived. Sadly, his younger sibling passed away the previous year, unable to receive help despite requests at hospitals.

Glodis' mother sadly relays the moment, “Every time I went to the hospital, I was told that we will receive therapeutic milk or plumpy nut (therapeutic food). But after a few days, we had not received anything. Then one day my youngest child died."

“Today my child is in good health, I can go to my activities (classes or work), I don’t need to stay at home anymore. We have survived the stress in our family, now that Glodis is gradually recovering,” Glodis’ mother thankfully relays.

Glodis is one of thousands of children who have survived severe malnutrition and are on their way to recovering and building a future.

Childhood Rescue not only seeks to meet the immediate needs of children like Glodis but to help the community in building sustainable initiatives that address the root causes of poverty.