The second largest country of Africa, full of paradoxes. On one hand, it is rich in natural resources (including cobalt, copper, coltan, crude oil, diamonds, gold); on the other hand, its inhabitants are among the poorest in the world. For decades, the DRC has been suffering from prolonged conflicts that have led to one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world.
21.08.2024
It’s extraordinary what people can get used to, even war. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, it seems no one remembers what the fight is about anymore. The outcome will not be defined by who is right, but by whoever survives.
Sister Agnieszka Gugała, the director of the nutrition center in Ntamugenga, offers us a glimpse into this strange world. We listen to her messages—it seems like it was an pretty decent week. There aren’t too many cases of monkeypox in the region, there was no shooting in the vicinity of the center, and there seem to be fewer children stepping on unexploded ordnance in the fields. Here, the definition of normalcy is drastically shifted toward something that in Poland we would call hell.
The Missionaries aren’t exempt from anything. Mosquitoes bite them just as hard, and malaria or cholera make no distinction between those who treat and those being treated. Bullets don’t change their trajectory when a hospital employee goes out to buy food for the patients. We’ve asked many times—Sister, it’s getting dangerous, it’s time to evacuate. But she’s never agreed to leave, except once to pick up a portable ultrasound machine that now saves the lives of pediatric cardiac patients.
World Humanitarian Day is a day to honor those who dedicate their lives to serving others. In 2023 alone, nearly 280 humanitarian workers lost their lives during their missions. How many were injured, fell seriously ill, or were wounded? It’s impossible to count. These are people who, when asked about their situation, often respond, “I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch; malaria got me, and I was hiding with this baby under the shower. There was shooting, and the bathrooms are farthest from the windows and exterior walls. I’m sending you a photo, look at how the little one looks now!”
We thank you for your regular support of the Angels who bring aid to the most vulnerable. We know they read your comments and appreciate every kind word. It’s crucial for them to feel that even on the other side of the world, in Poland, there are people who remember them. That they are not alone in their efforts but have your support—thousands of Good Factory supporters!
22.10.2024
“Eat it all, my little one, mommy has already eaten something. She’s not hungry.” For many children, the weight of these words, spoken by mothers with sad smiles, will only be understood in adulthood. This is the daily math problem faced by countless women in Congo: how to divide a single meal among many, when […]
16.09.2024
Globally, hunger is a massive, complex problem. But feeding a child is simple. Joseph could have become another WHO statistic, labeled as one of the children who dies of hunger every five seconds. No one would have known his name or how infectiously he laughs while playing patty-cake with his mom. That he’s brave and […]
04.09.2024
“We’ve got a two-year-old boy from Kabaya,” Sister Agnieszka reports. Even before we see the photo, we already know it will show a child in critical condition. Kabaya is a mountainous area, almost completely cut off from the rest of the world. There is a lack of everything. The fields are mined, making it impossible […]