Eastern Congo - Victims of Volcano Need Help

Congolese displaced by the volcano eruption gather for support from On the Ground

EASTERN CONGO - On May 21, 2021 Mount Nyiragongo volcano erupted in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The eruption, lava flow, and real risk of not only additional explosions but also gas releases that could asphyxiate thousands have forced immediate evacuation, mostly on foot, of large parts of the region’s largest city of Goma and many nearby villages.

Our staff has established relief operations in the city of Minova, one of two government designated destinations for those displaced by the eruption and the location of On The Ground’s DR Congo office, making us uniquely situated to immediately help tens of thousands of people in critical need. Feeding people is our first priority. We are already providing nutritious sustenance at a cost of about $1 per person per day, but we need your financial assistance to scale up and sustain the effort. We’ve provided over 500 meals for each of the past several days. We need to ramp up the number of daily meals. The need is also likely to continue at least for several more weeks due to the ongoing risk of additional eruptions and the countless homes destroyed by the initial eruptions.

Congolese flee the effected area. Photo from CNN

We cannot overstate the seriousness of the current situation.

Please press the button below to donate directly to our relief efforts. Thank you for your consideration and support.