Reuniting families and supporting VULNERABLE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY the VOLCANO ERUPTION IN DRC

After the eruption, thousands of people took the streets to get as far away from the lava flow as possible. Some, like Jean Luc, encamped in inner-city neighborhoods. Others walked miles, reaching Rwanda or the villages on the nearby mountains. 

After gaining the boy’s trust, AVSI’s social worker collected his personal information and, in coordination with the humanitarian response that had been activated, was able to reunite the family. Twenty-four hours later, after spending the night in a shelter, Jean Luc was back in his mom’s arms. The family was finally reunited but in conditions of extreme vulnerability. Jean Luc’s mom was so happy and relieved to find him again, but she visibly was in a state of shock. The population is used to displacement due to armed groups’ constant attacks, and families know how it can be easy to lose children in the midst of chaos. Hence, mothers often have strategies to avoid that – as, for instance, tying children’s hands to their own. Jean Luc’s mom could not stop blaming herself for not having used any strategy.

To ease the mother’s emotional state, who was traumatized from losing her son for a night, AVSI offered psychosocial support sessions. Jean Luc’s family also benefited from the distribution of various kits that AVSI made available to the most vulnerable families, such as non-food items and hygiene kits.