Public Project
UMCOR
Lubumbashi-Mulungwishi, DRC.
The United Methodist Church has a long and far-reaching presence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, especially in the Katanga Province, with programs that focus on health, nutrition and agriculture.
In 2010 UMCOR DRC has coordinated the distribution of 30,000 LLINs (Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Bednets) in the Bongonga neighborhood of Lubumbashi, reaching 13,557 households including 15,461 children under the age of 5 and 3,634 pregnant women. Religious and traditional leaders were mobilized and a team of community volunteers distributed and hung up the nets, while conducting house-to-house education.
LLIN distribution programming involved comprehensive training for volunteers, so that as they were involved in the correct installation of the life-saving nets, able to impart information about malaria prevention, transmission, symptoms and treatment.
In 2011, UMCOR DRC has conducted two LLIN distribution and education campaigns: in Mulungwishi with 9,000 nets distributed.
In both programs, each household in the targeted areas has received three mosquito nets, in alignment with the principal of universal coverage, which aims to ensure that the most vulnerable members of a household had the protection of sleeping under a net. Volunteers have conducted baseline surveys, distributed nets, educated the public and do followed up surveys and visits to monitor correct usage of the nets over time.
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