It may be quicker to fly in school desks manufactured in the west to a camp for displaced people. However, if the donor organizations order the desks from the local carpenter, it means work and an income for him and his colleagues – and may even give them some belief in the future during troubled times.
Anna Furubom Guittet, first secretary at the Swedish Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and the person responsible for humanitarian aid, says:
“The same thing applies for blankets, tents, food and other equipment in a disaster situation – you should always check whether the items that are needed are available at the local market or nearby. This way, you’re also helping the local population in the long term.”
In DR Congo, millions of people are dependent on humanitarian support for survival. Many years of violence and conflict have forced 2 million Congolese to flee from their villages, and most of them are now living as internally displaced people in camps. More than an additional 3 million people have been directly affected by the conflict.
Poverty is widespread, with an estimated 1.7 million children suffering from severe malnutrition. The eastern part of the country, where armed fighting is still in progress, is regarded as a humanitarian disaster area.
The conflicts are affecting the whole of society, Furubom Guittet says.
“Roads are suddenly blocked by soldiers. They close schools and destroy water wells. The soldiers are often very violent; many women are raped and are the subject of other severe attacks.”
Thinking ahead from the start
Humanitarian aid is principally intended as a form of support to save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity in disaster or other critical situations. But the international donor community has long been discussing how this support can be designed to contribute to more long-term solutions for the country affected as well. This especially applies to countries such as DR Congo, which require humanitarian aid for a considerable length of time. Sweden is one of the main driving forces in this discussion.
This includes effective co-ordination and planning when the donor countries are in the field, as well as plans on how to act when the humanitarian support ceases, Furubom Guittet says.
“When the donors leave after having provided a great deal of support following a disaster, there can be a vacuum,” she says.
“The country may not manage to continue the reconstruction work on its own. You therefore have to think ahead right from the start.”
For example, humanitarian efforts should be planned and carried out in co-operation with local authorities and organizations as far as possible, and this co-operative work should be included in the task of developing and strengthening the local competence.
One example from DR Congo where Sweden has been leading the donor community is the health sector. There are donors who want to make temporary contributions, such as building premises that can be used as clinics, or providing funds for medicine.
“We realize that you have to have a holistic approach, ensuring that there is equipment and competent staff at the clinic, that the staff receive a salary every month, that the local health authorities are involved and are planning how the clinic will function in the long term and so on,” Furubom Guittet says.
“The contribution will then be sustainable and can function even when the support ceases.”
Organizing accommodation for internally displaced people is also of importance, especially when it comes to social structures. Many displaced people have been farmers, and in the camps they are forced into passivity. If there are defects in the social structure, the camps can become a breeding ground for violence and a recruitment base for armed groups.
“You therefore have to respect the social structures that existed in the displaced people’s home environment,” Furubom Guittet says.
“If there is a tradition where a village headman leads the group’s discussions, for example, you should help to maintain it. This also applies to other rules and traditions that are important for unity within the affected group.”
DR Congo is strongly dependent on outside support; about half of the country’s state budget is accounted for by development funds. Sweden contributed SEK 300 million in humanitarian aid and SEK 100 million in development aid in 2009.
“Although it can sometimes feel tough, there are always silver linings,” says Furubom Guittet, who has previously worked with disaster efforts in areas including Darfur, Burundi and West Africa.
“For example, when a health clinic starts working or a school starts up, you can see that our work is doing some good.”
