THE YOUNGEST ORPHANS

A growing number of very young children are coming to St. Kizito due to displacement.

WHEN CONFLICT MAKES ORPHANS

Gokpa, a newborn, recently came to St. Kizito after her mother, Rosine, died one hour after giving birth. Access to medical care during childbirth is always difficult in rural Congo, but recent outbreaks of conflict has made it even more challenging. In August, UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency) estimated that more than 360,000 people had fled violence in the Ituri province that surrounds Bunia (read more here). These families are forced to live in makeshift camps with little access to nutrition, shelter, and medical care. In these situations, women who are pregnant and their children are at significant risk. As a result, more mothers die in childbirth and more children become orphans.

The team at St. Kizito works daily to welcome children like Gokpa, providing medical and nutritional support, surrounding them with love and attention, and always searching for the right "forever family" in each child's home community. If we cannot find the right home, everyone is welcome to stay with us.

Your support for these most fragile children is key to our efforts to create stability in a time of conflict. We thank you today and always for being part of Congo Kids Initiative.