Democratic Republic of Congo: How churches are helping displaced people cope with impacts of trauma

TONNY ONYULO reports on the work of churches and Christian organisations aimed at helping displaced people who have suffered trauma…

Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Anna Nsuka and her two remaining children displaced by fighting sat outside her tent at the Mugunga camp for internally displaced persons in the eastern part of the country and narrated how she had been contemplating committing suicide after the M23 rebel group murdered her husband and one of her children in her presence.

“They raided our house in the middle of the night and shot my husband and son before one of the militants sexually assaulted me,” said the 41-year-old mother of three, referring to the incident that happened in Nyanzale, a small town near Mugunga camp that left dozens of people dead in early March.

“I have been having panic attacks and nightmares about how the militants killed my family, and I wake up screaming. I have been thinking about how I should end my life so that I don’t go through all this suffering.”

People walk along a road in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The United Nations migration agency says nearly seven million people have been displaced by conflict, making it one of the world’s largest displacement and humanitarian crises. PICTURE: Tonny Onyulo.

Luckily, a few weeks ago, a group of religious leaders, most of them counselling psychologists, visited Nsuka and other displaced people at Mugunga camp and other neighbouring camps in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), especially in North Kivu province, the epicentre of the war, and started offering counselling and therapy.

“I have been listening to them, and their stories encourage me a lot to deal with my feelings and fears,” said Nsuka, adding that she recently repented and gave her life to Christ after the religious leaders shared the word of God with her during one of their visits. “I am starting to feel loved, and I can live again. I have God as my helper who understands my tribulations and will always be there for me.”

Evangelist Kevin Lupangu, who is a psychologist, said Nsuka had been experiencing multiple traumatic events and was at a higher risk of psychological disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety.

“She was caught up in the fighting and lost part of her family while she watched helplessly. She saw other people being murdered and was forced to flee her home to the refugee camp,” Lupangu said of Nsuka, noting that counselling has really helped her to understand herself without getting flashing thoughts of what happened a few months ago.

Nsuka is one of thousands of displaced people in eastern DRC who are receiving psychosocial support from religious leaders in the region due to the ongoing civil war. The church leaders are helping the victims to cope with the psychological and emotional effects of the traumatic experiences they have endured and to restore dignity in their lives.

Residents walk back to their internally displaced persons camp in eastern Congo PICTURE: Ameen Auwalii.

The eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has become a battleground for nearly three decades perpetrated by more than 120 non-state armed groups. However, the violence escalated in late 2021 with the resurgence of the March 23 Movement, or M23, which had been dormant for the past decade. The authorities in DRC, the United Nations, and Western powers accuse neighboring Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group, a notion the officials in Rwanda deny.

The M23 fighters and other rebel groups have for long blamed the DRC for not honouring the previously signed agreement that was to integrate them into the army and share other positions in the government.

The United Nations report indicates that the intensified fighting between DRC Government forces and the M23 armed group has led to the displacement of nearly seven million people, including one million others who have crossed borders seeking asylum in neighbouring countries of Uganda and Rwanda.

The violence has resulted in the death of thousands of people and many suffering due to the destruction of their homes, properties, and infrastructures such as markets, schools, hospitals, banks, and other government premises.

Religious leaders have stated that millions of displaced people are enduring war trauma, persecution, torture, sudden and often repeated displacements, physical violence against themselves or their families, as well as rape and other forms of sexual violence. As a consequence of these experiences, many have reported high rates of depressive symptoms, PTSD, and other trauma-related issues.

“Providing trauma counselling to victims of violence, including war and sexual violence, is crucial as it can save many lives,” said Lupangu. He mentioned that they offer counselling three times a week for a period of time, depending on the needs of the victim.

“The number of counselling sessions required for each victim varies and is typically based on the severity of the psychological trauma,” he said.

“We have a large number of people experiencing trauma as a result of the war, and reaching out to everyone is becoming challenging due to high demand. However, we are working tirelessly to ensure that those with severe cases are attended to and can learn to cope with their trauma.”

Residents walk back to their internally displaced persons camp in eastern Congo PICTURE: Ameen Auwalii.

The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), an international Catholic organisation with a mission to accompany, serve, and advocate on behalf of refugees, recently said in their report that they were offering psychosocial support to IDPs, especially women who are the most affected by the violence that has ravaged the central African nation of more than 95 million people.

The organisation noted that the millions of people who have been displaced as a result of war have witnessed daily atrocities, including killings, gender-based violence, and burning villages.

“They are forced to flee to the outskirts of large conurbations. Among these people are, unfortunately, many pregnant or breastfeeding women, single mothers, elderly people, and people with disabilities, all affected by the side effects of war,” JRS officials said in the report.

JRS officials stated that there is a need to provide psychosocial support to women who have been displaced but have experienced gender-based violence. They mention in their report that JRS offers psychosocial support to parents (60 per cent women), teachers (60 per cent women), refugees, and displaced people from Mugunga, Sake, Sasha, Bweremana, and Minova regions in the eastern part of the country.

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JRS officials further noted in their report that their psychosocial support for displaced people has been successful in eastern DR Congo.

They used the example of Chinelo (not her real name) to illustrate the plight of war victims. Chinelo, a 25-year-old who lives in Lushagala camp on the road between Goma and Sake, North Kivu province, was pregnant and felt alone and disoriented during her journey of about 25 kilometers to flee for safety.

JRS workers approached her to talk, and through their psychosocial support, Chinelo recovered from the trauma. She now sells firewood and uses the proceeds to support her family.

Chinelo herself shared: “During the last months of my pregnancy, JRS provided me with psychosocial support, which meant a lot to me. Listening to the stories of others and exchanging experiences allowed me to free myself. This support was extremely helpful.”

She added, “I received psychosocial support and assistance tailored to my needs. Now I hope for my son to have the opportunity to access a safe and quality education.”

Meanwhile, the churches are also continuing to distribute emergency supplies to help the IDPs. These supplies include beans, corn meal, rice, vegetable oil, and salt. Additionally, the religious leaders are donating clothes, mattresses, mosquito nets, blankets, cooking utensils, and solar lamps.

Jean Tshomba, coordinator of the United Methodist Committee on Relief’s disaster management office in eastern Congo, said the church has been assisting people who fled their homes since 2022 when the violence escalated in the region.

“We have been appealing to well-wishers to help alleviate the suffering of those displaced, especially women and children.”