DRC: a logistics platform to provide relief to a whole area

When conflict and under-development push tens of thousands of people into the gridlock of misery, organizing aid efficiently is crucial. Setting up a logistics platform in Opienge, in north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, has enabled several organisations to fight the area’s chronic poverty.

Opienge, Tshopo province. A remote area where the last time a car passed through was several years before. Rich in natural resources, the nearby Maiko national park has seen many conflicts and pushed 30,000 people to run away, leaving them in extreme vulnerability. A group of five NGOs including SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL is focusing on the rehabilitation of local infrastructure.

With 180 km of impassible roads, the Bafwasende – Balobe axis is a quagmire for living conditions and the economic development of the area. “Traveling one kilometre can take up to two hours,” describes road rehabilitation site supervisor Noe Mahasani. Mud, broken bridges and fallen trees amount to the elements holding back relief. Logistics being identified as a priority, SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL set up a logistics platform to pool the needs of all humanitarian agencies and to respond to them as quickly as possible. “Logistics costs are always high, especially in remote areas such as this one, analyses Logistics Programme Manager Jacky Copin. It requires great cooperation between agencies, considering that each one has a different project.”

Activities, such as the distribution of school equipment, the construction of latrines in schools, or treating malnutrition, will be greatly facilitated with the setup of the logistics platform. They will also have an impact on the living conditions of tens of thousands of people in a remote, dangerous and under-developed area.

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