Multi-Sectoral Emergency Response for the Most Vulnerable Populations Affected by Conflict and Outbreaks in the Eastern DRC

Over 2 years, it delivered WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene) interventions, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR),  Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) and NFI assistance to newly displaced people, while integrating protection measures and addressing the specific needs of women, children, and persons with disabilities. By combining rapid response mechanisms with support to existing health facilities and community structures, the project aimed both to meet urgent needs and to strengthen resilience in hard-to-reach areas through coordinated, needs-based interventions.

DRR activities aimed to strengthen community resilience through early warning systems that included risk awareness, hazard monitoring and forecasting, dissemination of alerts, and local response capacity. These interventions were designed to reach an estimated 1,329,109 individuals in 2024.

WASH efforts provided access to safe water, improved sanitation, and hygiene promotion, targeting 129,288 people in vulnerable areas. Through MPCA, approximately 133,294 individuals received flexible financial assistance to help cover their basic needs with dignity.

The response was grounded in a community-based approach that integrated protection considerations for vulnerable groups, including women, children, and persons with disabilities. Delegations from HEKS/EPER Romania and MEDAIR e.V. coordinated closely with local authorities, the Ministry of Health, and other humanitarian actors to ensure a rapid, efficient, and complementary response.

The project highlighted the added value of HEKS/EPER through its ability to rapidly respond in hard-to-reach areas of Eastern DRC, made possible by cross-country collaboration and the combination of local presence with international support.